Japan's budget in FY 2025 may reach a record amount due to defense spending

The Japanese government's draft budget for fiscal year 2025 is expected to be a record ¥115 trillion (approximately $732.1 billion) due to a planned increase in defense spending. This was reported by NHK television channel on December 25.

The TV channel said that defense spending will exceed ¥8 trillion (approximately $52 billion) for the first time. This increase in the military budget is due to the strategy approved by the Japanese government to increase the country's defense capabilities and the adoption of strike weapons.

Moreover, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has requested a record high budget of ¥38 trillion (approximately $242 billion), which has increased due to the growing aging population.

The government plans to make a final decision on the draft budget for the next fiscal year at a cabinet meeting on December 27.

Earlier, on December 6, it became known that Japan, the United States and the Philippines held joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea. It is specified that from the U.S. Navy in the exercises involved P-8A Poseidon from the patrol squadron 47, from the Philippine Navy - BRP Andres Bonifacio and C-90, from Japan - destroyer JS Samidare (DD 106) class Murasame.

Prior to that, on November 11, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pointed out that NATO was extending its influence to the Asia-Pacific region under the guise of ensuring the security of its members. In the same month, the minister drew attention to the fact that the U.S. continues to introduce NATO infrastructure into the waters of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized back in September that the weapons the US deploys in Asia pose a threat to China and the Russian Federation.

In April, it became known that the US had deployed medium-range missiles in the Philippines. In September, U.S. Secretary of the Army Christine Warmuth said that the United States was interested in deploying land-based medium- and short-range missiles in Japan. At the time, Ryabkov warned that Russia would give a comprehensive military-technical response if such plans by Washington were realized.