![]() ![]() ![]() “The Javelin requires coordination with friendly tanks, and it is difficult for it to fight on its own,” a ministry official said. The Defense Ministry underscored the need for tanks at an explanatory session for reporters on the same day. “Defense Ministry officials say the new fields of outer space, cyberspace and the electromagnetic spectrum are important, but they seem to be mired in placing importance on conventional equipment,” said Takero Doi, a professor of public finance at Keio University who serves as acting chief of the council’s spending reform committee, in an interview with The Asahi Shimbun. One council member told the April 20 session that Japan, surrounded by an ocean and seas, must give priority to bolstering its maritime and air defense capabilities, according to sources. The ministry compiled the document as a basis for discussions at the Fiscal System Council, which influence the budget compilation process. ![]() The Javelin costs about 23 million yen per missile and about 270 million yen per launch unit, according to a study by the Finance Ministry. The latest Type 10 tank costs about 1.4 billion yen ($10.5 million) per unit under the fiscal 2022 budget. Referring to the fact that Ukrainian forces have destroyed many Russian tanks with the U.S.-made Javelin portable anti-tank missile system, the document said, “Deploying anti-tank missiles improves our cost performance.” “We must fully explain to the public whether it is best to continue to depend on tanks,” the document said. Tanks were cited as an example of “problematic defense equipment” in a document the Finance Ministry distributed to members of the Fiscal System Council, an advisory panel to the finance minister, during a session held on April 20. The Finance Ministry has raised questions about the cost-effectiveness of tanks, while the Defense Ministry maintains that they are needed for integrated operations. The ironclad argument for Japan to keep a full complement of tanks for national defense is being questioned after Russian combat vehicles were destroyed during the invasion of Ukraine. ![]()
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