Japan's Cabinet OKs Record Defense Budget That Aims to Deter China

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TOKYO (AP) — Japan's Cabinet on Friday approved a record defense budget plan exceeding 9 trillion yen ($58 billion) for the coming year, aiming to fortify its strike-back capability and coastal defense with cruise missiles and unmanned arsenals as tensions rise in the region.

The draft budget for fiscal 2026 beginning April is up 9.4% from 2025 and marks the fourth year of Japan’s ongoing five-year program to double annual arms spending to 2% of gross domestic product.

The increase comes as Japan faces elevated tension from China. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November that her country's military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing says must come under its rule.

https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/japan-defense-spending-china-missile/2025/12/25/id/1239702/

 

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China Sanctions 20 US Defense Firms Over Taiwan Arms Sales​

China's ⁠foreign ministry announced sanctions Friday targeting 10 individuals and 20 U.S. defense firms, including Boeing's St. Louis branch, over arms sales to Taiwan.

The measures freeze any assets the companies and ‍individuals hold in China and bar domestic ‍organizations and individuals from doing business with them, the ministry said.

Individuals on the list, ⁠including the founder of defense firm Anduril Industries and nine senior executives from the sanctioned firms, are also banned from entering China, it added.

https://www.newsmax.com/finance/streettalk/china-u-s-defense/2025/12/26/id/1239718/