Dec. 26 (UPI) -- The Japanese government on Friday approved a record $58 billion defense budget for the 2026 fiscal year amid worsening diplomatic tensions with China.
The allocation is 9.4% more than budgeted for defense in 2025 and is a new record for defense spending when the new fiscal year starts in April.
The funds will help pay for cruise missiles and unmanned defense systems as Japan enters the fourth year of its five-year plan to bolster its military, Newsweek reported.
During that time span, Japan is investing about 2% of its annual gross domestic product to modernize its military with state-of-the-art equipment, including drones.
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