"Abe is expected later this week to approve another boost in military spending - something that would've been unthinkable just a decade ago.
As China becomes more powerful and assertive and North Korea builds up its nuclear arsenal, Japan is rethinking its approach to defense and moving away from the policies of strict pacifism it has followed since its defeat in World War II.
On Friday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet is set to approve an increase of around 2.5% in annual military spending, including funds for the new bases on the southern islands, as well as the country’s first cruise missiles and a new ballistic-missile defense shield.
Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said the cruise missiles are intended to protect the islands from invasion
Defense budgets have been growing since 2013, with Japan, one of the U.S.’s most important allies, buying advanced fighter jets, boosting surveillance capabilities and training a new amphibious troop unit.
With explicit support of Washington, Japan has slowly building what WSJ described as “one of the world’s most capable armed forces."
To be sure, the country still spends around half of that spent by China and one-third of the US in terms of GDP.
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http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-12-20/japan-building-missile-bases-counter-china-and-north-korea