Japan to increase military spending to counter Chinese threat

Japan is planning to boost its military spending in coming years under a new approved national security strategy in a bid to counter recent Chinese claims on disputed islands.

Japan's cabinet announced that it will buy hardware including drones, stealth aircraft and amphibious vehicles, build a new marine unit capable of capturing islands over the next five years, the BBC reports.

The announcement came weeks after China established an air defence identification zone (ADIZ) over the disputed East China Sea, including Senkaku islands controlled by Japan.