Tag Archive for: "defence spending"
Japan’s strategic imperative

In December, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the most ambitious expansion of military power in Japan since the creation of the country’s self-defence forces in 1954. Japanese defence spending will rise to 2% of …

The limits of Japan’s military awakening

For decades, Japan has based its international clout on economic competitiveness, not military might. But, with China’s lengthening shadow darkening its doorstep, Japan now seems to be abandoning its pacifist post-war security policy—which capped defence …

Labor’s defence budget sets out some hard truths

The Albanese government’s first budget since its election win in May was not designed to focus on Australia’s security situation or defence spending. Tasked with sharing Australia’s difficult economic situation with the Australian public, the …

Smith and Houston, we have a problem

The two independent leads of Australia’s defence strategic review, Stephen Smith and Angus Houston, have got their work cut out for them. The terms of reference require the reviewers to assess Australia’s strategic circumstances, recommend …