Japan approved a record high defense budget
Moscow. 22 Dec. INTERFAX.RU Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved on Friday the defense budget for the year 2018 in the amount of 5.19 trillion yen ($46 billion), which is 1.3% more than allocated for defense spending in 2017, reported the Associated Press from Tokyo.
These record-high costs of defence involves strengthening missile defense in terms of missile and nuclear threats from North Korea, the Agency said.
So, $208 million will be spent on American anti-missile system of a new generation of Aegis Ashore.
At the same time, the Agency indicates that this is the sixth excess of defense spending in Japan with the arrival of Abe to power in 2012. Before him there was a downward trend in the defense budget.
Now, defense spending must be approved by the Japanese Parliament.