Japan boosts defense spending for fiscal 2025 to 9.9 trillion yen, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani announced on Tuesday. The figure equals 1.8 percent of the country’s GDP from three years earlier.
At a press conference, Nakatani detailed the budget. The government will spend 8.5 trillion yen on defense and 1.5 trillion yen on related areas.
Japan boosts defense spending to meet its goal of reaching 2 percent of GDP by fiscal 2027. This goal was set in 2022 under updated national security guidelines.
The policy also aims to give Japan “counterstrike capabilities” for emergencies, allowing it to target enemy territory directly.
Previously, Japan capped defense budgets at about 1 percent of GDP. The war-renouncing Constitution shaped that long-standing policy.
However, Japan boosts defense spending now due to growing threats. These include China’s military buildup and North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs.
Nakatani said the new numbers show clear progress. He emphasized Japan’s steady movement toward its 2027 defense targets.
Defense spending reached 1.4 percent of GDP in 2023 and 1.6 percent in 2024. For 2025, the estimated ratio is again 1.6 percent.
Spending includes coast guard operations, cybersecurity programs, and United Nations peacekeeping missions. These areas all fall under related costs beyond the main defense budget.
The rise also comes as the U.S. pressures allies to take on more defense responsibilities. President Donald Trump has consistently demanded more from nations like Japan and South Korea.
Elbridge Colby, the new U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, urged Japan to raise its defense spending to 3 percent of GDP.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed that spending might exceed 2 percent after 2028, depending on global threats.
As Japan boosts defense spending, leaders prepare for a shifting security environment and new strategic challenges.
