KYODO NEWS



 

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Saturday vowed to strengthen Japan's defense capabilities in the face of a severe security environment amid the growing military activity of China, Russia and North Korea.

Ishiba, who took office on Oct. 1, said a recent violation of Japanese airspace by China and Russia was "utterly unacceptable," adding the two countries along with repeated ballistic missile tests by North Korea pose complex security challenges.

Japan will "certainly implement" measures to fundamentally bolster its defense capabilities, the prime minister said in a speech at a Ground Self-Defense Force base.

Ishiba said Japan needs to beef up deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region through cooperation with allied and like-minded countries, as he and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani reviewed the GSDF at the Asaka base straddling Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Self-Defense Forces.

It was Ishiba's first attendance at an SDF anniversary ceremony since 2007, when he was defense minister.

Earlier in the week, Ishiba confirmed in phone talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump that the two countries will elevate the bilateral alliance.
With the SDF facing a personnel shortage, the prime minister is seeking to improve working conditions.

"We will take all necessary measures so (SDF members) can focus on their vital duties with pride and honor," he said.