In its approval of a radical review of its defense policy, Japan focused on the threat posed by its Chinese neighbor, and described Beijing as an "unprecedented strategic challenge" to Japanese national security.
And Japan announced - in the framework of the largest review of its defense policy since World War II - doubling the annual defense budget to more than 80 billion dollars within 5 years.
It also decided to unify its military leadership and increase the range of its missiles, making Japan's military budget the third in the world after the United States and China.
Today, Friday, Japan revealed an unprecedented defense policy since World War II, which includes allocating $320 billion to strengthen its military capabilities and equipping itself with missiles capable of hitting China.
And according to what the military and strategic expert, Brigadier General Elias Hanna, confirmed to the "Beyond the News" program, the new military doctrine of Japan came in light of the transformations and radical changes taking place in the surrounding geopolitical environment, and it constitutes a blow to China, which has a nuclear project and is looking for influence in the region, and this doctrine It is a message to China in the first place, as well as to North Korea.
In China's response to the Japanese plan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that Tokyo ignores the facts and deviates from the common understandings between China and Japan and its commitment to bilateral relations.
American welcome
For Brian Harding, former US Secretary of Defense's advisor for Asia and the Pacific security, Japan's new military doctrine means a clear and influential change in its policies, which is welcome in Washington, and a bold step to defend the Indo-Pacific region, especially as China develops its nuclear program and increases its nuclear power. their nuclear warheads.
Under its new defense strategy, Japan is preparing to live in a dangerous region, and it will have rid itself of the burden of World War II, Harding told the "Beyond the News" program.
Although it talked about the Chinese threat, the American guest continues, Tokyo and Beijing are partners on the economic and trade levels.
On the other hand, Japan's announcement of a review of its military doctrine was welcomed by the United States, and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that Washington supports Japan's decision to acquire new capabilities that enhance regional deterrence, including counter-strike capabilities.
Austin added that the United States is committed to working with Japan to support the goals articulated in the two countries' strategies.
Harding stressed in his speech on the strategic partnership between Washington and Beijing, and said that the new doctrine of Japan will lead to a better integration of the defense and military alliance between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Hanna confirmed that the American welcome means that Japan will not be under the American umbrella, pointing to the presence of 45,000 American soldiers in Japan.
The new amendments include the right of Japanese forces to launch "counter-strikes" against countries they consider hostile, within 3 conditions:
The first condition is that Japan will be exposed to an inevitable threat, or that a friendly country will be exposed to this threat.
The second condition is that there is no other means of avoiding strikes that are considered hostile.
The third condition is that the response be as minimal as possible.
The amendments also provide for doubling the defense budget during the next five years, and that defense be the main focus of strengthening military power, and that the goal is never for Japan to become a military state.