Suga concerned by "security environment" around Japan

Japan's Prime Minister stressed the need to improve cyber defenses in an increasingly strained security environment, as he attended an Air Self-Defense Force review Saturday.

"It is necessary to respond not only to the conventional areas of land, sea and air but also to new areas such as space, cyber and electromagnetic waves," said Yoshihide Suga.

"It's important to eliminate the vertical divisions of the organization and work beyond the boundaries of Land, Sea and Air Self-Defense Forces."

Japan officially limits itself to self-defense and bans first strikes under its post World War II pacifist constitution, but increased its defense role and spending under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Suga, who took office in mid-September after Abe resigned due to ill health problems, is continuing on his predecessor's diplomatic and security policies.

Japan's government has said it needs higher deterrence and increased missile defense and fighter capability to cope with threats from North Korea and China and other changes in the region's security environment.

Saturday's Air Self-Defense Force review comes after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Tokyo earlier this week.

Relations between the two countries have been strained over territorial disputes and wartime history, even though ties have improved in recent years while China's trade dispute with the U.S. has escalated.

Suga also said he also continues to expect proactive support from the Self-Defence Forces in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Image: AP)