Kishida: Japan should strengthen military capabilities

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at an international fleet review Sunday that his country urgently needs to strengthen its military capabilities.

Kishida said Japan urgently needs to build more warships, strengthen anti-missile capability and improve working conditions for troops.

Avoiding disputes and seeking dialogue is important, Kishida said, but it is also necessary to be prepared for provocations and threats to peace and stability.

He repeated his pledge to significantly reinforce Japan's military capability within five years.Sunday's international fleet review marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of Japan's postwar navy, called the Maritime Self-Defense Force. Eighteen warships from 12 countries participated in the review.