Japan's PM remains positive about raising defense R&D spending

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday that he is positive about a significant increase in spending on defense research and development after a group of lawmakers within his ruling party urged the government to secure 1 trillion yen (7.4 billion U.S. dollars) within five years for that purpose.

"It is an extremely important theme. I will take it very seriously and work positively," Kishida was quoted by Masahisa Sato, secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) group, as saying.

The group of LDP lawmakers associated with defense issues submitted a proposal calling for the increase of research and development on defense to the government.

It made the request that the government consider the increase in the process of revising the National Security Strategy by the end of this year.

The group also met separately with Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno.

Kishi said the government will address the proposal when updating the long-term security guideline.

The submitted proposal also said Self-Defense Forces members should also participate in the collaboration of the government, companies and scholars in the security field.

It also proposed the construction of an academic city with an institute tasked with advanced security technologies at its core.