Japan announces record $47 billion defense budget for Fiscal Year 2022

Asia-Pacific, News January 4, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Japan’s Cabinet approved a record 5.4 trillion yen ($47 billion) defense budget for the Fiscal Year 2022 amid growing tensions in the East China Sea and increasing threats from China, Russia, and North Korea.

According to Japan’s Ministry of Defense, the Fiscal Year 2022 budget will be designed as a 16-month defense budget, which would integrate the additional budget for the Fiscal Year 2021. The highest ever total budget is approximately US$51 billion.

The budget known as Accelerated Defense Capability Enhancement Package covers a wide range of areas, including upgrades, procurement, research and development, capacity development, as well as a surge in the cost for Japan for hosting American troops in the country.

The budget is called the “Accelerated Defense Capability Enhancement Package”, which, mainly in response to China’s growing military power.

The budget will take effect on April 1, 2022; however, it requires the Japanese parliament’s approval. The 1.1% annual budget increase is the 10th consecutive increase in defense spending, as Japan aims to strengthen its defense capabilities in response to the increasingly tense security environment in the region.

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Type-11 Air Defense Systems — *^{Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s Type-11 Air Defense Systems}*

The draft budget also includes 128 billion yen for the purchase of 12 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter jets. The Japanese Ministry of Defense also allocated 86 billion yen for the development of F-X fighter jets that would replace Japan’s aging F-2 fleet. It will be Japan’s first domestically produced fighter plane in 40 years.

Japan plans to acquire three P-1 patrol aircraft worth 65.8 billion yen ($573 million), and Type 18 heavy torpedoes, Type 12 light torpedoes, Type 07 ASROCs, Type 15 mines for 21.7 billion yen ($189 million). The Japanese navy also seeks to refurbish its P-3C patrol aircraft for 1.1 billion yen ($9.57 million) and spend 8.4 billion yen ($7.3 million) on Vertical Launching System for its Mogami-class stealth frigates. In addition, Japan’s Ministry of Defense has allocated 291.1 billion yen for Research and Development spendings, an increase of 37.6 percent from last year.

Japan’s Kyodo News cited Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi saying “As the security environment around Japan has changed at an unprecedented pace and is becoming increasingly severe, it is an urgent task for Japan to strengthen its necessary defense capabilities.”

Last month, Japan and the UK partnered on the development of a future fighter engine demonstrator to power both the F-X and Tempest manned combat aircraft. The project includes Mitsubishi and IHI in Japan and Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems in the UK. The work on the new demonstrator will commence in 2022.

ALSO READ: UK and Japan to jointly develop future fighter jet engine demonstrator

The budget also allocates $53 million for the conversion of the F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter on two Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Izumo-class destroyer helicopter carriers, and part of the allocated amount will be used for further U.S. participation in the F-35 combat trials.

The FY2022 budget allocated $176 million for the purchase of SM-6 missiles for two of Japan’s Maya-class Aegis destroyers and $50.5 million to modify the SPY-6 radar to be installed on ships.

According to data from the International Defense Research Organization, Japan now ranks among the top 10 nations with the highest defense expenditure.