Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has approved a record defence budget of 5.13 trillion yen (£35.2bn), driven by territorial disputes with China and concerns over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. The 1.4% increase marks the fifth consecutive rise in defence spending, if approved by parliament.
The budget, part of a 97.5 trillion yen package for the financial year starting April 2017, includes investment in fighter jets and submarines. The coastguard budget will rise to 210 billion yen, up from 187.7 billion yen, to fund five new large patrol ships and 200 additional maritime law enforcement staff.
Japan's ballistic missile defence system is also due for an upgrade in response to advances in North Korea's weapons programme. The uninhabited East China Sea islands, controlled by Japan but claimed by China, remain a flashpoint, with coastguard vessels from both nations routinely shadowing each other.
The increased spending adds to pressure on Japan's economy, already strained by rising social security costs for its ageing population and significant national debt.
