Iwaya Tells Rubio Japan Will Use Own Judgment to Strengthen Defense Capabilities; No Spending Figure Discussed

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, July 3, 2025

WASHINGTON — Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Tuesday.

Iwaya told reporters after the talks that Rubio had emphasized the importance of strengthening Japan’s defense capabilities. In response, Iwaya had replied that “Japan would proceed with a fundamental strengthening of its defense capabilities based on its own judgment.”

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed its view that its allies in Asia, including Japan, need to increase their defense spending to 5% of their GDP.

Iwaya told reporters that in the meeting there had been no discussion regarding a specific figure for Japan’s defense spending or its share of the cost of stationing U.S. forces in the country.

At the meeting, the two sides confirmed their commitment to supporting ministerial talks on U.S. tariff measures with a view to reaching an agreement that would be beneficial to both Japan and the United States. They also agreed to work closely together to further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance.

Iwaya and Rubio also agreed to proceed with arrangements for the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee meeting, a 2+2 meeting between both countries’ ministers in charge of foreign affairs and defense. They exchanged views on China’s activities and shared the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.