Japan Plans to Double Defense Budget

(MENAFN) Japan has unveiled its intention to elevate defense expenditures to 2 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) by the year 2027, according to a statement by Defense Minister Gen Nakatani on Tuesday.

In the current fiscal period, the country is planning to allocate roughly USD70 billion toward military-related spending.

During a press briefing, Nakatani revealed that the government will designate approximately 8.5 trillion yen (around USD59 billion) for its main defense budget.

Additionally, it intends to assign another 1.5 trillion yen (or USD10.4 billion) for supplementary defense-related expenses in the initial financial plan starting this month, as reported by a news agency.

Since the enactment of its pacifist constitution in 1947, Japan has traditionally maintained a policy of restricting defense outlays to about 1 percent of its GDP, which translates to nearly 5 trillion yen (or USD34.8 billion).

However, with Japan being the world’s fourth-largest economy, its GDP is forecasted to approach USD4.69 trillion by year-end.

Over the past few years, Japan has been gradually increasing its military investment in response to escalating regional threats.

These include China's growing military presence and persistent security issues related to North Korea.

To address these evolving challenges, Japan has set an objective to boost defense expenditures to 2 percent of GDP by 2027.

This policy shift comes amid mounting pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been encouraging American allies—such as Japan, South Korea, and NATO nations—to contribute more toward their own military costs and the expenses of hosting U.S. troops.

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