Soviet Threat Cited in Japanese Bid for Military Budget Increase

TOKYO — Japan’s Defense Agency, citing a continued threat from the Soviet Union, today asked for an increase in spending next year to cover new ships, tanks and aircraft.

Agency officials said they also needed a 6.35% increase in the annual budget starting April 1 to shoulder a bigger share of the cost of keeping U.S. troops in the country.

The budget request is for $29 billion, up $1.7 billion over the current year’s budget.

The Defense Agency wants to buy 30 newly developed tanks, 112 aircraft and 21 warships.

Japan also plans to spend $305 million to cover 52% of the total cost of wages and fringe benefits for the 22,OOO Japanese employed by the U.S. military, up from 43%.

The United States, which has been pressing Japan to take on more of the burden of its own defense, will pay the rest.

Total Japanese spending on the U.S. military, including facilities, would rise to $1.2 billion under the proposed budget, up 16.7% over the current fiscal year.

Defense Minister Juro Matsumoto said the budget took into account “accumulated” Soviet military power in the region.