TOKYO -- Japan's security policy will undergo a radical change in 2023 as it starts enhancing defense on a scale unprecedented since the end of World War II in response to serious challenges facing the nation.
Under a plan announced by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Japan's defense ministry budget for the five years through fiscal 2027 will total 43 trillion yen ($324 billion) -- 57% more than under the current five-year plan. If outlays for the Japan Coast Guard and other defense-related infrastructure and ministries are included, overall defense spending will rise to about 2% of the nation's gross domestic product by fiscal 2027 -- the same amount NATO demands of its members.
