Toyota(US:TM) Huan Qiu Wang·2025-09-28 05:16Group 1 - The Japanese Ministry of Defense is considering using modified civilian vehicles, such as the Toyota "Land Cruiser," as the next generation of light armored vehicles for the Self-Defense Forces [1][3] - Currently, approximately 1,800 light armored vehicles are in service, with about 80% exceeding their operational lifespan, prompting discussions for replacement [3] - The Ministry plans to procure civilian models in 2026 and conduct tests in 2028, with the decision to adopt based on test results [3] Group 2 - The testing costs for civilian vehicles are included in the Ministry's budget request for the fiscal year 2026, amounting to 650 million yen (approximately 31 million RMB) [3] - The defense budget for fiscal year 2026 is set to reach a record 8.8 trillion yen (approximately 428.2 billion RMB) [3] - Japan's defense spending is projected to total around 43 trillion yen over the five-year period from 2023 to 2027, reflecting a trend of increasing military expenditure in response to U.S. expectations [4]