Ishiba Gains Satisfactory Responses on Security from Trump; No Demand for Significant Increase to Defense Spending

By Akihisa Ota and Shinji Abe Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

16:57 JST, February 8, 2025

WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba secured satisfactory responses from U.S. President Donald Trump on security issues at their first summit meeting on Friday.

The two leaders confirmed the United States’ involvement in the defense of Japan, including through nuclear deterrence, in order to counter China, and they incorporated further multilateral cooperation in their joint statement.

“The United States is totally committed to the security of Japan,” Trump said at the joint press conference following the meeting. “We will extend the full strength of American deterrence capabilities and defense of our friend and ally, 100%,”

The joint statement states that Article 5 of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, which stipulates U.S. defense obligations to Japan, applies to the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. It also included upgrading the command-and-control frameworks of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military, as well as the promotion of defense equipment and technology cooperation.

The two leaders also agreed to convene a Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee meeting — also known as two-plus-two security talks between the foreign and defense ministers — at an early date.

Prior to the summit meeting, there were concerns within the Japanese government that Trump might demand a significant increase in defense spending.

However, Trump praised Japan’s plan to raise the defense spending to 2% of its gross domestic product, saying that Japan has invested a lot of money, and did not demand any significant increase from this.

Regarding defense equipment, Trump said at the press conference that “Japan is one of the top purchasers of U.S. military exports and equipment, and I’m pleased to say that, this week, my administration approved nearly a billion dollars [about ¥150 billion] in foreign military sales to Tokyo.”

To counter China, the Japanese government has placed importance on a multilateral cooperation framework based on the Japan-U.S. alliance. Although Trump is said to be reluctant to engage in multilateral frameworks, the statement stated that “the two leaders intend to advance multilayered and aligned cooperation among likeminded countries” to “realize a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

In addition to the Quad comprising Japan, the United States, Australia and India, the statement specifically set out a policy for Japan and the United States to promote cooperation with South Korea, Australia and the Philippines in separate trilateral frameworks.

“We were able to have an open dialogue and exchange views candidly,” Ishiba said at the press conference. “I want to work with President Trump to build a new golden age in Japan-U.S. relations.”