Japan to sidestep 3.5% defence spending target despite US pressure, Asahi reports

Japan is set ​to stop short ​of explicitly adopting a defence ‌spending target ​of 3.5% of GDP in a planned revision of its national security ‌strategy later this year, despite repeated US calls on allies to meet that benchmark, the Asahi newspaper reported on Friday. The ‌government is instead leaning toward significantly increasing defence-related spending over ‌the next five years, including broader security expenditures, the report said, citing multiple government sources.

Tokyo hopes that a demonstrated commitment to strengthening military capabilities ⁠will ​appease Washington, ⁠the report added. The defence ministry did not immediately respond to an emailed ⁠request for comment on the report.

According to Asahi, US President ​Donald Trump's administration has repeatedly urged Japan behind closed ⁠doors to raise defence spending to 3.5% of GDP, describing the level ⁠as ​a global standard for allies. But formally committing to such a target would pose a major fiscal challenge for ⁠Tokyo. Defence spending at 3.5% of GDP would exceed 20 trillion ⁠yen ($126.52 billion) ⁠annually, requiring substantial new funding sources and likely forcing politically sensitive tax increases, Asahi said.

($1 = 158.0800 ‌yen)