TOKYO, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government on Friday decided to update three security and defense-related documents including the National Security Strategy, marking a significant change to its post-war security policies despite wide opposition.
Aimed at so-called "enemy base strike capabilities," the country will acquire the capability to directly attack another country's territory in case of emergency, according to the documents greenlighted by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet.
The guidelines also stipulated the reorganization of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and a great increase in Japan's military expenditure for the next five years.
About 315 billion U.S. dollars will be allocated for defense budgets over the five-year period from fiscal 2023, the documents showed, setting a goal to increase defense spending annually to around 2 percent of gross domestic products in fiscal 2027.
In Japan, many are objecting to the amendments of the three security documents. In Tokyo, hundreds of local citizens held rallies in front of the prime minister's official residence on Thursday and Friday opposing the revision, with participants holding up banners that read "peace can not be created by force."
"The Japanese government must be questioned. With Article 9 of the Constitution, how is it possible to strengthen Japan's defense capability by increasing the missile power?" asked Miho Aoi, professor of law at Gakushuin University in Japan.
Local experts said in order to ease the current tension, it is more important for Japan to conduct peace diplomacy, pursue a security policy that does not create enemies, and foster trust with neighboring countries. ■