LDP Election Candidates Speak on Security Spending, in Light of U.S. Demanding its Allies Spend More

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:23 JST, September 23, 2025

Candidates in the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election pledged to focus on the Japan-U.S. alliance, amid the increasingly severe diplomatic and security environment surrounding Japan.

Based on the alliance, the candidates said they would seek to deepen cooperation with like-minded countries and strengthen the nation’s deterrence power.

As the United States has demanded that allies, including Japan, should increase their defense budgets, a focus of the election campaign will be the candidates stance on ensuring the nation’s safety.

The government has set a goal of raising the amount of the budget allocated to matters related to national security to 2% of the nation’s fiscal 2022 gross domestic product by fiscal 2027.

Each of the five candidates have made comments on the matter in recent days.

Takayuki Kobayashi, former minister in charge of economic security, said at a joint campaign speech meeting Monday: “Nobody will help a country that does not have the determination to defend itself. To raise deterrence power, 2% is never sufficient.”

Former LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi said: “Threats from China and North Korea are growing and the domains which we need to handle, such as cyber and space, are increasing. I shall proceed with efforts to further improve defense capabilities.”

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi spoke about increased security spending at a press conference: “If necessary, we have to take steps to enter the next phase while adjusting policies with the United States.”

Sanae Takaichi, another former minister in charge of economic security, said at a press conference on Friday that it is necessary to invest funds for improving the technological standard of Japan’s drones, among other matters.

About security spending, she said, “I shall respond once [the money] is secured.”

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said at the Monday meeting that “realizing a strong Japan” is one of the pillars of his campaign.

He added, “I shall firmly make progress toward the 2% of GDP target.”