Japan Plans Moderate Rise in Military Spending

Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita told Parliament on Friday that Japan will formulate a new five-year defense plan beginning in 1991 that will call for a moderate increase in military spending despite “a new current” in international relations.

It was the first time that Takeshita had clarified Japan’s intention to continue expanding defense spending after the present build-up ends.

He provided no specific figures, but he said the new plan will call for a moderate build-up similar to that approved for the 1986-1990 program.

Japan has earmarked 18.4 trillion yen ($147.2 billion) for defense in the present five-year period, a 12% increase over the previous plan. The fiscal 1989 budget Takeshita has submitted to Parliament calls for 3.92 trillion yen ($31.4 billion) for defense, a one-year increase of 5.9%.

Takeshita said the new diplomatic stance by the Soviet Union, the expanding dialogue between Washington and Moscow, and movement toward normalization of Sino-Soviet relations have produced “a new current in the international situation,” but he warned that “it would not do to be overly optimistic.”

Echoing promises he made to President Bush during their meeting in Washington on Feb. 2, Takeshita said Japan plans to carry out “an activist foreign policy.”

“Japan has greater responsibilities than ever before,” he said, “not only in the economic field but across the entire spectrum of the international community.”

But he reaffirmed that Japan will not become a military giant.

In addition to a tour of Southeast Asian nations that Takeshita is reportedly planning for April and May, he indicated that he is thinking of traveling to regions seldom visited by Japanese leaders. He mentioned Latin America, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East and Africa as regions where he wants to “vigorously promote personal contacts” with national leaders “to broaden the geographical diversity of Japanese diplomacy.”

He refrained, however, from making any suggestion that Japan is assuming leadership. He said “Japan’s basic stance is that of striving for coordination with Western countries.” With Japan-U.S. relations as “the cornerstone of Japanese foreign policy,” he and Bush “reaffirmed that we will further promote policy coordination and joint undertakings,” Takeshita added.

The most specific diplomatic actions promised by Takeshita and Foreign Minister Sosuke Uno, in a separate speech, were increased aid to Afghan refugees, support for a U.N. observer team that will oversee the transition of Namibia to independence this year, and cooperation “within an international framework” to establish an independent, neutral Cambodia.

Takeshita acknowledged that he faces political problems at home. He said a stock-trading scandal that has plagued his government since last summer has “broadened distrust of politics.”

“This is an extremely serious situation for Japan’s parliamentary democracy,” he said. “I must honestly accept harsh criticism, join hands with you and restore the people’s trust in politics.”

Political reform, he said, will be his No. 1 priority.

Takeshita said Japan will continue to restructure its economy to focus on growth spurred by domestic demand rather than by exports. He also said Japan must open its markets further.

In view of widespread predictions by Japanese economists that the country’s $90-billion-plus trade surplus will expand further this year, the speech was most notable for its once-over-lightly treatment of trade issues.