Japan may boost defense spending to $53.4 bn over Senkaku rowJanuary 5, 2013 - 10:55 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Japan's government is likely to increase defense spending for the first time in 11 years, Japanese media reported on Saturday, January 5, as newly elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledges a sterner response to a territorial dispute with China, Reuters reported. The government is considering increasing defense spending by around 2 percent to more than 4.7 trillion yen ($53.4 billion) in the fiscal year starting in April, the Mainichi newspaper reported. It gave no source for its information. The extra spending would be used to increase personnel in the ground self-defense forces and upgrade equipment for land, air and maritime forces, the Asahi newspaper also reported on Saturday. It also did not cite any sources. Japan's Defense Ministry has scrambled F-15 fighter jets several times in recent weeks to intercept Chinese marine surveillance planes approaching the disputed islands near Taiwan. The islands are known as Senkaku in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese. The Japanese government administers the islands and purchased three of them from a private owner last September, sparking violent anti-Japanese protests across China. Beijing also claims the isles as part of Chinese territory. There is a renewed focus on whether relations between China and Japan will improve after voters swept Abe's conservative Liberal Democratic Party back into power last month after three years in opposition. Abe has repeatedly said there is no room for negotiation on the islands and has said he would boost defense spending to counter China's growing military clout. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |