TOKYO: Japan's government is portraying its accelerating military buildup not only as a way to protect the country but as a route to greater prosperity, arguing in its latest defence white paper that arms production can support economic growth. The white paper "stresses that investment in defence benefits the wider economy and people's lives", according to a Defence Ministry presentation document. That message aligns with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's broader use of strategic state spending in an effort to drive economic growth. A Defence Ministry official said the design was intended to convey a "futuristic image". The link between defence and future prosperity comes as Takaichi's administration prepares a new national security strategy.