Moscow/Washington: Highlighting the threat from China and North Korea, Japan’s Defence Ministry has demanded a record $53 billion in defence spending from the Parliament. Japan has increased its defence costs by a whopping 12 per cent compared to last year. However, due to this defence spending by Japan, the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region will be in danger, a US military analyst claimed during a conversation with a Russian news organisation. A few days ago, China’s official mouthpiece criticised Japan’s defence expenditure.

Moreover, Japan has gradually increased its defence expenditure over the past few years. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had accepted this policy. As the two nuclear-armed countries, China and North Korea, are neighbouring Japan, Abe stated that Japan must also increase defence spending for self-defence. After this, Japan started purchasing advanced and latest weapons from the United States by increasing its defence expenditure. Besides, it also began manufacturing destroyers and other military equipment in the country.

Furthermore, with this new defence spending, Japan will purchase 15 ‘F-35’ aircraft, missiles and destroyers from the United States. Among these, the purchase of ‘F-35’ aircraft attracts much attention. These latest and fifth-generation aircraft are capable of carrying nuclear bombs. Besides, it is also possible to use these aircraft for air operations and gathering intelligence. China has criticised that the purchase of these aircraft, which are capable of deploying nuclear bombs, underlines Japan’s aggressive military policy.