The Japanese Defense Ministry warned on Friday (07.22.2022) that it is alarmed by threats from Russia and increasingly concerned about Taiwan, in an annual report released at a time when Tokyo is considering strongly increasing its military spending.
The document contains a chapter on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which he warned could send the wrong message that “trying to unilaterally change the status quo by force is acceptable.”
He assesses global security and specific threats to Japan, noting that there is concern that Russia will “further increase and deepen its relations with China.”
It also warns that Moscow could increasingly rely on its nuclear capabilities as a deterrent, which could mean an uptick in activity around Japan, where Russian nuclear submarines are often mobilized.
Japan supported US and European Union sanctions against Moscow, and has seen increased Russian military activity around its territory.
In May, Chinese and Russian military planes made joint flights near Japan shortly after a meeting in Tokyo of the Quad alliance (Australia, Japan, India and the United States).
China and North Korea, serious threats
Regarding Taiwan, the document makes a detailed assessment of the island’s security situation and notes that “since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Taiwan has worked to strengthen its defense.”
According to the report, China is “a strong security concern” while North Korea presents a “serious and imminent threat.”
The document was released this year at a time of anticipation of a sharp increase in Japan’s military budget.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has publicly backed an increase in military spending, and his party has set a budget target of 2% of GDP for the sector.
The Japanese Constitution does not officially recognize its armed forces, and its expenses are limited to its defense capacity.
gs (afp, Archyde.com)