It’s sad. Less than three years ago, Japanese politicians and strategists were walking on air after then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that his Cabinet had agreed to increase defense spending to 2% of gross domestic product by 2027. Conservatives were delighted and the government was basking in adulation as allies and partners applauded the prospect of a 65% increase in the country’s military budget.
Now, however, U.S. President Donald Trump is demanding that NATO members devote 5% of their national economy to defense. That’s a figure that even his own budgets can’t match — and that’s before he called on his defense chief to cut military spending by 8% annually and 50% overall.
Japan and other Asian allies are likely to face the same 5% demand. Given the difficulties Tokyo has faced funding the increase to 2%, finding money for what is virtually a tripling of existing funds seems beyond the imagination.
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