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Yomiuri Shimbun file photo The main gate of the Defense Ministry is seen in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo.
The Yomiuri Shimbun
14:37 JST, April 16, 2025
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Japan’s security-related budget for fiscal 2025 is about ¥9.9 trillion, roughly 1.8% of the country’s fiscal 2022 GDP, in a press conference held Tuesday.
This is a 0.2 percentage point increase from the fiscal 2024 figure of 1.6%. It is approaching the 2% target the government aims to achieve by fiscal 2027.
A breakdown of the figure shows the Defense Ministry’s budget for its defense capability development plan is about ¥8.5 trillion, while the combined budget for the related expenditure for the Japan Coast Guard, relevant research and development for other ministries and agencies, public infrastructure, cyber security and other expenses is about ¥1.5 trillion.
The government’s National Security Strategy calls for increasing security-related spending to 2% of GDP in fiscal 2027.
Elbridge Colby, who has been appointed as U.S. undersecretary of defense, has urged Japan to increase its defense spending to at least 3% of its GDP. In the press conference, Nakatani said, “It is important we proceed with a fundamental strengthening of our defense capabilities based on our own judgment and responsibility.”
