Japanese PM Promises Further Increase in Defense Spending

Japan’s new prime minister, Takaichi Sanae, said in her first major policy speech on Friday that she plans to increase defense spending and accelerate Japan’s military buildup to meet rising threats from China, North Korea, and Russia.

Takaichi said her government will complete the current program for increasing defense spending to two percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by March 2026, well ahead of the original schedule for completing the upgrade by 2027. 

This will clear the way for Japan to prepare a new strategy document before the end of 2026 that could strengthen the military even further – a dramatic increase in tempo from Tokyo’s previous schedule of going eight to ten years between national security strategies.

“The free, open and stable international order

Continue reading