Japan wants to dramatically expand its defence capacity because it has been alarmed by China's expanding military ambitions, while Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also stoked fears that China may move to take over Taiwan, a self-governed democracy claimed by Beijing.
Japan's Defense Ministry on Thursday requested a record 7.7 trillion yen (USD 53 billion) budget for fiscal 2024 as the government aims to deploy arms to realize newly authorized capabilities to strike enemy targets for stronger deterrence in the wake of the worsening regional security envir