Japan Needs to Bolster Defense Capabilities Steadily: Ishiba

   Tokyo, June 30 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Monday that Japan needs to continue to steadily pursue the fundamental strengthening of its defense capabilities.
   Addressing a meeting of commanders and executives of the country's Self-Defense Forces at the Defense Ministry, Ishiba said that the security environment surrounding Japan has become increasingly tense and complicated, referring to recent moves by China, North Korea, Russia, Israel and Iran.
   "The way of fighting keeps changing as the technology develops," Ishiba noted, citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine as an example.
   The prime minister also called for the defense officials to continue thinking about how to build effective defense power, in light of the establishment of the Joint Operations Command for the Air, Ground and Maritime SDFs in March this year.
   In relation to civilian control, Ishiba said, "It is both the right and the duty of SDF officers to express their opinions to (those in) politics from a professional standpoint."

(2025/06/30-16:33)