U.S. calls Japan’s defense spending ‘manifestly inadequate’

by RYO KIYOMIYA/ Correspondent
September 5, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the White House in August (AP

WASHINGTON—A senior U.S. defense official has called for a significant and urgent increase in Japan’s defense spending, citing the threats that it faces in the increasingly tense regional environment.

“I think there are a lot of things that the Japanese establishment thinks are just set in stone, but they really need to understand the urgency of the situation,” the official told media outlets, including The Asahi Shimbun, in August.

“All countries have political difficulties, all countries have fiscal difficulties, all countries have constitutional restrictions. Yet we have to be able to defend ourselves in ways that are realistic, equitable and sustainable.”

The official, who is versed in Indo-Pacific affairs, said Japan is facing threats from China and North Korea as the country acknowledged in its latest defense white paper.

Japan plans to raise its defense outlays to 2 percent of its gross domestic product by fiscal 2027.

“If you look at the facts, Japan is spending 1.6 percent to 1.8 percent (of its GDP on defense) ... so relative to Japan’s postwar past, it’s an improvement, but it is still manifestly inadequate for the strategic situation,” the official said. “I think Japan should spend as much as possible on defense, as quickly as possible.”

The Trump administration, which champions an America First policy, has called on its allies and partners to share more of the burden, particularly in defense spending.

The United States has welcomed NATO’s target to increase defense spending to 5 percent of its GDP, adopted at the alliance’s summit in June.

Of the 5 percent, 3.5 percent is for “core defense requirements,” with the remainder for related investments, such as involving infrastructure.

Within the administration, some officials have called for allies in the Indo-Pacific region to raise defense spending to the NATO standard of 3.5 percent.

South Korea currently spends 2.32 percent of its GDP on defense.

“South Korea is a model ally in terms of defense spending, in terms of having a very large standing military establishment and a strong defense industrial base,” the official said.

Washington’s demands go beyond defense spending.

The senior U.S. defense official emphasized that Japan has to “do its part for its own and collective defense” and this U.S. “expectation” has been conveyed to the Japanese side.

Citing Germany’s decision to change its Constitution to increase defense spending, the official said, “If a country is serious about its security, then it can, and must, adapt accordingly.”

“It’s very discordant to see Tokyo talking about the dramatically deteriorating strategic situation in very alarming comments for a number of years, and then for Japan to say, ‘Well, we have this constitutional provision that restricts us to rear area operations,’” the official said.

The intensifying pressure from the Trump administration is causing strains in the Japan-U.S. relationship.

With the United States repeatedly raising the issue of Japan’s defense spending, broader discussions, such as those on defense industry cooperation, have stalled, a Japanese government source said.

The bilateral meeting of foreign and defense ministers, which was being arranged in Washington on July 1, was postponed at Japan’s request after the United States sounded out Japan on increasing its defense spending. No new date has been set.

Japan is concerned that the United States will make a formal demand for increased defense spending. Some officials said there is no need to rush to hold the meeting.

The Trump administration has also indicated that Japan should bear more of the costs for hosting U.S. forces in Japan.

With the current special measures agreement set to expire at the end of fiscal 2026, negotiations for the new agreement are certain to be difficult.

Jeffrey Hornung, the Japan lead for the RAND National Security Research Division, questioned Washington’s demand for Tokyo’s increased defense spending, saying it is not always clear where the United States sees “gaps” in Japan’s capabilities.

He said the U.S. focus on defense spending as a percentage of GDP, along with its imposition of tariffs, is creating “friction” in the Japan-U.S. alliance.

Hornung emphasized the need for broader discussions on what the roles, missions and capabilities should be within the Japan-U.S. alliance, not being limited to defense spending.

“I do think that we need to get beyond the discussion of what are you going to pay to what are you going to do,” he said. “That’s where I think the alliance really needs to focus on.”