EXPLAINER: Why Japan is boosting its arms capability, budget

TOKYO (AP) — Japan this week adopted a new national security strategy that includes determination to possess “counterstrike" capability to preempt enemy attacks and double its spending to gain a more offensive footing and improve its resilience to protect itself from growing risks from China, North Korea and Russia. The new strategy marks a historic change to Japan's exclusively self-defense policy since the end of World War II. Here is a look at Japan's new security and defense strategies and how they will change the country's defense posture.

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COUNTERSTRIKE CAPABILITY

The biggest change in the National Security Strategy is possession of “counterstrike capability” that Japan calls “indispensable." Japan aims to achieve capabilities ”to disrupt and defeat invasions against its nation much earlier and at a further distance” within about 10 years.

This puts an end to the 1956 government policy that shelved capability to strike enemy targets and only recognized the idea as a constitutional last-ditch defense.

Japan says missile attacks against it have become "a palpable threat” and its current interceptor-reliant missile defense system is insufficient. North Korea launched missiles more than 30 times this year alone including one that overflew Japan, and China fired ballistic missiles into waters near southern Japanese islands.

Japan says the use of counterstrike capability is constitutional if it's in response to signs of an imminent enemy attack, but experts say it is extremely difficult to conduct such an attack without risking blame for striking first. Opponents say strike capability goes beyond self-defense under Japan's pacifist constitution.

"(Japan's) exclusive self-defense policy is hollowed," the liberal-leaning Asahi newspaper said.

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DOUBLING DEFENSE...