Japan overstates 'China threat' in defense paper

Beijing calls on Tokyo not to make excuses for buildup as per US wishes

Japan released its 2024 defense white paper on Friday, pursuing a policy of strengthening its own military power by making a big fuss about the "China threat", which is in line with the wishes of the United States, experts said.

According to the white paper, total expenses for Japan's Defense Buildup Program and complementary initiatives for the 2024 fiscal year amount to 8.9 trillion yen ($56 billion), approximately 1.6 percent of the country's gross domestic product at the time its National Security Strategy was formulated in 2022.

The government of Japan allocated 7,724.9 billion yen on an annual expenditure basis, up 17 percent from the previous fiscal year. It also set aside 9,362.5 billion yen on a contract basis, an increase of 4.6 percent year-on-year, to soon start equipment procurement and Self-Defense Forces facility development in a process extending across several years, said the white paper.