Japan Seeks to Designate Russia and China as Threats

The Security Research Council of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has proposed officially categorizing Russia and China as "threats" in foundational documents of the national military policy. This terminology may be added to the core provisions of Japan's defense program, which is due for revision later this year, reports TASS, citing the Yomiuri newspaper.

Council members, led by former Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, also reportedly highlighted the need to increase Japan's military spending to over 2% of the country's GDP. Additionally, they advocated for including a provision in the key military policy documents that would grant Japan the right to strike military bases located within potential enemy territory if there are clear signs of preparation for aggression. This pertains to the acquisition or development of long-range missiles.

Currently, Japan adheres to the principle of "passive defense," which rejects the possession of offensive weapons capable of striking other countries.