TOKYO -- Policymakers in Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party will push for a steep increase in the country's defense spending and capabilities as Tokyo eyes China's military buildup and tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
Two LDP groups, the National Defense Division and the Research Commission on National Security, agreed at a meeting Monday to seek greater spending on necessary defense equipment beyond outlays already planned through fiscal 2023. They also recommended sharply increasing research and development spending on next-generation fighter jets and other arms, as well as bolstering Japan's defense industry.
