Japan Plans to Boost Defense Budget Amid Regional Tensions

(MENAFN) Japan is set to raise its military expenditure to 2 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) by the year 2027, with plans to allocate approximately USD70 billion toward defense in the current fiscal cycle, based on an announcement made by Defense Minister Gen Nakatani on Tuesday.

During a press briefing, Nakatani revealed that the government intends to designate close to 8.5 trillion yen (equivalent to roughly USD59 billion) for defense allocations, along with an extra 1.5 trillion yen (around USD10.4 billion) for associated expenses in the initial budget for the financial year commencing this month, a Japanese news agency reported.

Since adopting a pacifist constitution in 1947, Japan has traditionally capped its defense expenditure at about 1 percent of GDP, or near 5 trillion yen (approximately USD34.8 billion).

This limitation has been a long-standing principle of Japan's post-war military policy.

With its economy ranking as the fourth-largest globally, Japan’s GDP is projected to hit close to USD4.69 trillion by the year’s end.

Amid this economic backdrop, the nation has gradually elevated its defense budget in light of growing regional unease, particularly due to China's expanding military footprint and the persistent threat posed by North Korea.

Tokyo's strategic objective is to meet the 2 percent GDP benchmark for military spending by 2027.

This move arrives during a period of heightened diplomatic pressure from United States Leader Donald Trump, who has been calling on allies—including Japan, South Korea, as well as NATO members—to assume a larger share of defense responsibilities and to contribute more toward the costs of hosting US troops.

Adding to this international appeal, Elbridge Colby, the US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, recently urged Japan to raise its military spending further, suggesting a target of 3 percent of GDP.

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