KURE, Hiroshima -- Head of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force MSDF base expressed concern about a possible increase in defense budget during a July 4 press conference.
The issue has become a focal point of the campaign for the July 10 House of Councillors election in Japan.
When asked whether I'm fully and unconditionally pleased about proposed increased defense spending, I'm far from it, Commandant Hiroshi Ito of the MSDF Headquarters Kure District told reporters in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, when questioned about the spending becoming a campaign issue. Ito said this was only his personal impression.
Ito noted that Japan will need enormous financial resources to cover its social security commitments. Just as every ministry and agency is hankering for funding, has Japan's economic situation become so much better that we the Self-Defense Forces can get new special treatment? The senior officer also touched on the discussion sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine over whether Japan should stockpile munitions.
He said that if we purchase missiles and munitions, we won't be able to go out to sea if we neglect to maintain the vessels to launch them from, and that we need to have enough funding to maintain MSDF ships and aircraft.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has pledged to increase Japan's defense capabilities in July 10 of its upper house poll campaign, with an eye to boosting defense spending to 2% of Japan's GDP. The conservative Nippon Ishin Japan Innovation Party has a similar campaign promise.
The Social Democratic Party and the Japanese Communist Party oppose raising defense outlays in their respective election platforms.