Japan's new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a press conference at prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, Japan, on Oct. 4, 2021. (Toru Hanai/Pool via Xinhua)

Japan's ruling conservatives unveiled their campaign platform Tuesday, saying they would aim to boost defense spending, possibly even doubling it. 

The long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), led by new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, is campaigning to maintain its majority in parliament in October 31 elections.

It announced pledges on Tuesday including tackling the pandemic and working to boost the middle class.

The party laid out longer-term policy goals including expanding Japan's defense budget beyond 2 percent of GDP, a ratio that would put it on par with members of the NATO, the party said.

That would mark a departure from Japan's political tradition of capping defense spending below 1 percent of its GDP, which stands around $5 trillion.

The Japanese defense ministry is currently asking for around $50 billion for the coming fiscal year from April.

"We are demonstrating our resolve to defend the Japanese people's lives, property, territory, territorial waters, territorial airspace, sovereignty and national honor," Sanae Takaichi, the party's policy chief, told a press conference.

The status of Japan's military is a sensitive issue as the post-war constitution limits it to a defensive role.

The LDP said it would continue efforts to revise the pacifist document to clarify the status of the military, though the party has struggled to win support for such a move.

AFP