# Japan's dangerous bet on military-driven growth

https://mins.news/en/item/44692

- China News Service, 2026-09-03 08:26 UTC
- Politics
- Original: http://www.ecns.cn/video/2026-09-03/detail-ihfiwhfw6702907.shtml

> Japan’s 2026 Defense White Paper, a record 598 pages, openly presents defense spending as a driver of economic growth for the first time. The article condemns this fusion of defense and the economy as a pretext to expand the military-industrial complex, diverting resources from healthcare and education while risking a return of militarism and greater threats to Asia-Pacific peace and stability.

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- [Japan seeks record US$56 billion defence budget focused on long-range capabilities](https://mins.news/en/video/38772) — CNA, 2026-08-31