The New York Times:

Japan’s government on Friday approved an eighth straight annual increase in defense spending to a record high as it buys U.S.-made stealth fighters, interceptor missiles and other equipment to counter military build-ups by North Korea and China.

Japan’s defense budget will rise 1.1% to a record 5.31 trillion yen ($48.56 billion) in the year starting April 1. Japan’s parliament, which is dominated by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, will vote on the spending plan next year.

Despite a constitution that forbids the possession of offensive weapons, Japan is one of the world’s biggest military spenders. Outlays on defense have increased by almost 15% in less than a decade, spurred on by neighboring China modernizing its military and North Korea developing nuclear weapons and missiles that could deliver them anywhere in Japan.

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