Japan announced the largest military buildup since World War II

The Japanese authorities announced the largest increase in military potential since World War II.

As regional tensions and Russia's invasion of Ukraine stoke fears of war, the country has developed a $320 billion plan that includes the procurement of missiles capable of striking China, as well as preparing Japan for a prolonged conflict, Reuters reports.

'The ambitious five-year plan, once unthinkable for pacifist Japan, will make it the third-largest country in the world in terms of defense spending after the United States and China,' the statement said.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated that the buildup is 'a response to various security challenges' facing Japan. His government is concerned that Russia has set a precedent that could encourage China to attack Taiwan, threatening the nearby Japanese islands, disrupting semiconductor supplies, and potentially blocking maritime routes through which oil is supplied.

'This sets a new course for Japan. If all is done properly, the country's self-defense will become a real, effective force of global caliber,' said Admiral Yejji Koda, who commanded the Japanese fleet in 2008.

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The government also stated that it will be stockpiling spare parts and other munitions, expanding transportation capacities, and developing cyber warfare capabilities. Earlier, in its post-war constitution, Japan renounced the right to wage war and the means to do so.

'Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a serious violation of the laws prohibiting the use of force and has undermined the foundations of international order. The strategic challenge from China is the greatest Japan has ever faced,' the strategic document states.

A separate document on Japan's national security strategy, which points to China, Russia, and North Korea, promises close cooperation with the United States and other partner countries to deter threats to the established international order.

In response, Beijing has already accused Japan of false statements regarding China's military activity in the new security strategy.

On October 7, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a resolution supporting Japan's position regarding its Northern territories, namely the Kuril Islands. Ukraine acknowledges that these territories are under Russian occupation.

In February, the director of Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hideki Uyama, stated that Russia occupied the Southern Kurils. Later, Russia refused to negotiate with Japan on a peace agreement.