TOKYO — Japan's Defense Ministry sought on Friday a record 8.5-trillion-yen ($59-billion) budget for next year to fortify its deterrence on its southwestern islands against growing threats from China.
Defense officials were also focusing on unmanned weapons and artificial intelligence (AI) to make up for the declining number of military personnel as a result of the East Asian country's shrinking population.
MORE FUNDS NEEDED Members of Japan's Self-Defense Forces are busy clearing the rubble of a destroyed morning market following a powerful earthquake in the city of Wajima, central Ishikawa prefecture, on Jan. 11, 2024. JIJI PRESS FILE PHOTO VIA EPA