Japan looks to build drone 'shield' in record defense budget request

Tokyo is seeking another record-busting defense budget -- including spending to build a drone "shield" to defend Japan's southwestern periphery -- amid rising concerns over the Chinese military's moves near and inside the country's waters and airspace. The Defense Ministry said Friday that it is seeking a budget exceeding 8.8 trillion ( 60 billion) for fiscal 2026, up 4.4% from last year's record 8.5 trillion initial request. The budget is the fourth in a five-year spending plan of around 43 trillion, as Japan zeroes in on its target of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense by 2027. Most prominent in this year's request is a 128.7 billion plan to build a multilayered coastal defense system covering the air, sea, and waters that incorporates unmanned assets as well as strengthened standoff defense capabilities to attack from outside an enemy's range.