Japan defense boost criticized

Japan's latest defense budget increase supports nationalist sentiment and risks destabilizing the region, academic experts said. By constantly bolstering its military, Japan could derail the long-established strategic balance and trigger an arms race, they added.

Japan's Cabinet approved on Thursday its biggest defense budget proposal - 5.13 trillion yen ($43.6 billion) - for the fiscal year starting in April, an increase of 1.4 percent from the previous budget.

If approved by Japan's parliament next year, it would be the fifth consecutive year that Japan has raised its defense budget since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office in 2012.