Japan defense arm seeks $50B budget

posted August 31, 2021 at 06:50 pm by AFP Tokyo—Japan's defense ministry on Tuesday unveiled a $50 billion budget request as the country keeps military spending at record levels in the face of growing threats from China and North Korea. The military budget has been rising steadily for about a decade, and the defense ministry's latest request warns that "the security environment surrounding our country is increasingly severe." The ministry is asking for 5.48 trillion yen ($50 billion) in the fiscal year from April 2022, up from the 5.3 trillion yen that was eventually approved for the ongoing year to…