The Defense Ministry is seeking a fourth-straight annual budget hike to help fortify Japan's far-flung island chain in the East China Sea, close to ocean territory claimed by Beijing.
In a document submitted to the government Monday, the ministry asked for a 2.2 percent increase in spending to ¥5.09 trillion for the year starting in April. If approved, it will be the biggest defense budget in 14 years.
China's military budget for this year rose 10.1 percent to 886.9 billion yuan ($138.37 billion), the second-largest in the world after the United States. Japan's budget request is worth $42.38 billion in dollar terms.