TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has vowed to build up defence capabilities in response to an increasingly severe regional security environment, national broadcaster NHK reported on Saturday.

South Korea’s Yoon, Japan’s Kishida to attend technology roundtable on Nov. 17

“In order to protect our country, we will secure the necessary budget and fundamentally strengthen our defence capabilities,” amid increasing threats from Russia and China, Kishida said at a Self-Defense Forces review ceremony, NHK reported.