Text Fwd: Japan Shifts Military Policy Focus To China, Island Dispute 일본, 군사 정책 촛점을 중국과 섬 논쟁으로 바꾸다

Stop NATO
Asahi Shimbun
December 11, 2010
Defense policy shifting focus to China's military
BY KENTARO KAWAGUCHI


-The new appendix calls for increasing the number of submarines from the current 16 to 22 and includes mention of the next-generation fighter jets.
It also calls for increasing the number of Aegis destroyers from the current four.


The government plans to discard its Cold War defense philosophy and shift to a posture that can effectively deal with possible contingencies on Japan's vulnerable southern islands and China's growing military presence.

The main points of the National Defense Program Guidelines to be released this month will move away from a setup preparing for an invasion by the Soviet Union to a dynamic defense capability that emphasizes mobility.

Since the first National Defense Program Guidelines were released in 1976, the emphasis has been on deploying the Self-Defense Forces uniformly around the nation.

This year's revision will be the first to introduce the concept of "dynamic defense capabilities."

Rather than seek a uniform deployment of SDF troops, the new guidelines will emphasize mobility and readiness to allow the SDF to respond to terrorist acts or an invasion of outlying islands.

The guidelines will also raise concerns about the Chinese Navy's rising presence in waters around Japan.

China has increased its military spending by double-digit rates for 21 straight years. In April, China sent its most advanced submarines as part of a fleet engaged in a training exercise that included navigating between the main Okinawa island and Miyakojima island.

The guidelines describe such actions by China as "matters of concern" for the region as well as international community.

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See also
Stop NATO
Japanese Politicians Land On China-Claimed Island
Radio Netherlands
December 11, 2010
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