The Defense Ministry's budget request for fiscal 2023 is to include the installation of improved missiles on newly planned Aegis-equipped ships, with the aim of possessing capabilities to intercept hypersonic weapons in light of the pursuit of missile development by China and North Korea.
The ministry also plans to introduce unmanned combat aerial vehicles to expand use of unmanned equipment, according to several government officials.
The government has vowed to drastically strengthen defense capabilities within five years. The initial budget request is expected to reach a record 5.5947 trillion yen. The final amount will be even larger, as separate requests are made for items for which no amount is indicated at the initial stage.
