反撃能力「歯止め」焦点に　財源論は難航必至―有識者が提言案

　政府は２１日、防衛力の抜本的強化の在り方などを議論する「国力としての防衛力を総合的に考える有識者会議」（座長・佐々江賢一郎元駐米大使）の第４回会合を首相官邸で開いた。反撃能力（敵基地攻撃能力）保有を訴える提言の原案を有識者側が岸田文雄首相に提示。今後の与党協議では反撃能力行使への「歯止め」のかけ方が焦点の一つになる。防衛費の財源を巡る論議は難航必至だ。
　首相は会合で「有識者会議の報告書を踏まえつつ、与党と相談しながら政府として検討を進める」と表明した。会議はこれが最終回で、２２日に佐々江氏が提言の最終版を首相に提出する。（2022/11/21-18:04）

The Japanese public must shoulder the financial burden of strengthening the country's defense capabilities, experts said at a meeting Monday.
   At the fourth meeting of a government panel on ways to drastically boost Japan's defense power, chaired by former Ambassador to the United States Kenichiro Sasae, the experts submitted to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida a draft of the panel's proposal pointing out that "securing a stable source of funding is fundamental."
   Specifically, the draft proposal rejected relying on government bond issues, and said that "the burden must be shouldered by the public through a wide range of taxes," calling on the Kishida administration to consider tax increases as a key source of revenue for the envisaged defense buildup.
   The prime minister praised the draft, saying that it is "very organized and includes opinions from a high perspective."
   "The government will consider the matter while consulting the ruling bloc and based on the expert panel proposal" as it steps up work to update its three key national security- and defense-related documents later this year, Kishida also said.