Japan govt approves record 122 trillion yen budget

The 122.3-trillion-yen ($782 billion) budget for the fiscal year from April 2026 will include some nine trillion yen for defence spending, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi aims to accelerate Tokyo's sweeping upgrade of its military in the face of worsening relations with China. The defence ministry said in a briefing document that "Japan faces the most severe and complex security environment since the end of the war," stressing the need to "fundamentally strengthen" its defence capabilities. At...