AFP / AFX, TOKYO: Japan's Defense Agency, a branch of government, has asked for a 1.2 pct increase in its budget to 4.9 trln yen for the year to March 2007, an agency official said.
The agency is seeking its first increase in military spending in four years amid mounting concern in Tokyo about North Korea and China, Agence France-Presse reported the official as saying.
For the past three years Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has advocated an austere budget without exception.
It was cut by 1.0 pct for the year to March 2006.
The defense budget for the next year includes 150 bln yen for missile defenses, including a new 3.0 bln yen for joint development with the US of a sea-based system to intercept ballistic missiles.
The idea of developing a joint anti-missile system was initiated after North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific in 1998.
The anti-missile shield will consist of land-based Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) interceptor missiles and seaborne Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) interceptors.
The Defense Agency also plans to buy a helicopter carrier, a minesweeper and submarines for a total of 182 bln yen, the official said.
Additionally, it wants to acquire six F-2 fighters for 76 bln yen and 11 tanks for 8.9 bln yen and a score of helicopters, he added.
The budget request, which requires approval by the finance ministry, comes amid high tensions with both China and North Korea.
An August 2 white paper by Japanese defense planners, echoing a Pentagon report, questioned an increase in China's military spending, saying it raised questions about the country's intentions.
The two nations have seen their relations deteriorate in recent months as they dispute over energy resources and how they remember Japan's 1931-1945 occupation of parts of the mainland.
North Korea also remains engaged in a standoff with the international community over its nuclear ambitions.
The fourth round of the six-party talks among the two Koreas, the US, Japan, Russia and host China had been scheduled to resume this week following a recess on August 7 after two weeks of unsuccessful bargaining.
But North Korea said on Monday it would not return to the talks in Beijing until the week beginning on September 12, blaming the delay on military exercises between the US and South Korea.
