"Among non-Nato nations,
Japan spent US $46.9 billion on defense in 2003, The
People's Republic of China, US$ 32.8 billion, and
Russia, US $13 billion, (5%, 4%, and 1% of the world total, respectively)."
(According to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_budget, admittedly a questionable source)
"Japan spends about US$46 billion on its military yearly, ranking among the top five military spenders in the world
[1] (
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0904504.html)."
(According to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan#Modern_era)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $45.841 billion (2004)
(According to
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/....html#Military)
However, from the CIA World Factbook the $45 billion is only 1% of the GDP. When we look at China in the Factbook we see that they spent "$67.49 billion (2004)" and this is " 4.3% (2004)" of the GDP.
These numbers can be viewed in yet another way: Japan has "
males age 18-49: 22,234,663 (2005 est.)" fit for military service. China has "
males age 18-49: 281,240,272 (2005 est.)" fit for service.
I wonder about that Japanese agression, where is it? You mean that they want to invade Taiwan? Or how they annexed Tibet? Oh wait that was China! I'm afraid that the Japanese are about as aggressive as big pink fluffy bunnies, hellbent on keeping the
Wa (I don't think this involves shooting and that sort of things). You can make the bushido-argument like in WW2, but the average Japanese rather watches baseball than practice kendo (which is just so smelly).
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