Majority of Japanese oppose raising taxes to fund military expansion -Kyodo

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attends a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, on December 16, 2022, addressing some topics such as National Security Strategy, political and social issues facing Japan in today's World crisis. David Mareuil/Pool via REUTERS

The majority of Japanese people do not support raising taxes to fund military expansion, Kyodo reported on Sunday, citing a survey the news agency conducted after the government announced Japan's biggest military build-up since World War Two.

Japan on Friday announced a $320 billion military spending plan to buy missiles capable of striking China and to ready the country for any sustained conflict, as missile tests by nearby North Korea, China's claim over Taiwan and the invasion of Ukraine by Japan's western neighbour Russia stoke fear of war.