Trump Complains about Japan-U.S Security Treaty During Cabinet Meeting; U.S. President Previously Called Arrangement Unfair

By Shinji Abe / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

16:37 JST, April 11, 2025

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has again expressed his dissatisfaction with the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty on Thursday.

“We defend them, but they don’t have to defend us,” Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting. He brought up defense issues in an attempt to justify his administration’s implementation of high tariffs.

Trump expressed his view that the United States has had unfavorable trade deals with the European Union and China and then referred to Japan. “We pay hundreds of billions of dollars to defend them … they don’t pay anything,” he said, while acknowledging that the United States has a very good relationship with Japan, Trump did not mention Japan’s contributions to the cost of stationing U.S. troops in Japan.

“I just wonder who did this,” said Trump. “Now, that’s a little bit of a defense deal, but I’m talking about trade deals, the same thing.”

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi responded Friday to Trump’s remarks, saying: “With the Legislation for Peace and Security, Japan and the United States are now able to help each other seamlessly in any situation. We will steadily advance the fundamental strengthening of our defense capabilities.”