Opinion

The Japanese government, in defiance of opposition at home and abroad, is set on pushing ahead with its plan to increase defense expenditure to an astronomical sum, squandering the blood taxes of the Japanese people.

After revising three major documents on its security including the “national security strategy” in December last year, it has decided to drastically increase its defense expenses by over 2% of GDP within the coming five years.

No sooner had its decision to increase the defense expenses been announced than it promptly triggered strong vigilance and concern from its neighbouring countries.

There is also growing discontent within Japan as the government tries to secure the financial sources by means of unilaterally increasing taxes on corporation, income and cigarette without giving them enough explanation for increased defense expenditure and gaining an understanding of the people.

Overall socio-economic activities are on the wane in Japan, with prices rising and the living conditions worsening owing to the disaster caused by malignant pandemic lasting for years. Such being the situation, what the Japanese people are in urgent need is not to see defense expenses increased but to see their economy recovered and people’s life stabilized.

As universally acknowledged by the world, Northeast Asia has become a theatre of unprecedented military confrontation owing to the US strategy for hegemony, and the regional situation is worsening due to Japan’s reckless military expansion.

Japan is now in its defiant attempt to increase its defense expenses to an astronomical amount in order to equip itself with ultramodern armaments for preemptive attack. This is indeed an act of adding fuel to the fire, and it will only disturb peace and security in the region.

It is obvious that Japan’s increased defense expenditure, far from improving its security environment, would only cause instability in the region. It would also cast a shadow over the prospect of its economic recovery and add a big burden to its people’s living.

The Japanese government would be well-advised to look back upon the lessons of history that it will come to a tragic end if it persists in its unpopular policy against the public sentiment.