TOKYO, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has drafted proposals for revising the country's three key security documents within this year, calling for stronger air defense systems and enhanced long-term combat capabilities, Kyodo News reported.
The draft recommendations urged Japan to accelerate the deployment of interceptor drones and high-energy weapons aimed at strengthening the country's air defense network, and to secure the capability to sustain combat operations for "at least a year," Kyodo News reported Monday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The draft also stressed the need for the government to study next-generation submarines powered by advanced propulsion systems and designed to carry long-range missiles to bolster Japan's so-called "counterstrike capabilities," the report said.
The draft, however, stopped short of setting specific defense spending targets or identifying funding sources, both contentious issues within the LDP. ■
