The government's Security Council on Friday approved a new five-year procurement plan for the Self-Defense Forces totaling 25.16 trillion yen.

The proposed defense outlay, which covers fiscal 2001 through fiscal 2005, shows an increase of 930 billion yen over the current five-year program, with an average annual growth rate of 0.7 percent.

The program, prepared by the Defense Agency, earmarks 4 trillion yen for the acquisition of big-ticket weapons on roughly the same scale as the current plan.

Among other features, it calls for the establishment of a special unit within the Ground Self-Defense Force to deal with guerrilla attacks, strengthening the SDF capacity to cope with natural disasters, and upgrading information technology systems and control-and-command systems in the SDF.

For disaster-relief operations, the program calls for formation of a 2,700-member quick-response force among the various SDF units throughout the country.

Major big-ticket equipment outlays include the acquisition of four aerial tankers, two 13,500-ton class helicopter-carrying warships and two destroyers equipped with the Aegis battle control system.

In addition, the plan allows for acquisition of 10 helicopter gunships equipped with night-vision capabilities and two helicopters for cargo transport and mine-sweeping operations.

Research projects planned for the next five years include development of a new generation of aircraft to replace the P-3C antisubmarine patrol plane and the C-1 cargo plane, and a new battle tank with advanced command-and-control capabilities.

The defense plan is subject to review after three years to take into account any future changes in the international scene or the nation's fiscal situation. The Defense Agency said any adjustment in spending would not exceed the ceiling authorized in the defense program.

The projected five-year defense outlay includes a 150 billion yen reserve fund for natural disaster-relief operations.

The Defense Agency said appropriation of the fund will be subject to approval by the Security Council each time a natural disaster strikes Japan.

The plan also supports efforts to restructure and streamline the SDF in accordance with the government's overall defense policy and provides for the introduction of a public recruitment system for SDF reservists.

Under the five-year program, the GSDF plans to restructure the 5th GSDF division based in Hokkaido and the 2nd Composite Division based in Kagawa Prefecture.

The Defense Agency said restructuring would trim the size of the GSDF to 156,000 service members by the end of the five-year program.

For the Maritime Self-Defense Force, the Defense Agency plans to take one MSDF destroyer group out of commission, while the Air Self-Defense Force would also pare down the Western Air Defense Force and the Southwestern Composite Air Division.

The defense plan also mentions the need to improve the SDF capacity to deal with possible attacks involving nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, the importance of promoting exchanges with nonprofit organizations, and continuing cooperation with the United States to develop a theater missile defense system.