Finance Ministry looks to rein in defense spending push amid funding concerns
The revised spending proposal could mean cuts by as much as half in planned purchases of some missiles and aircraft.
The Japanese government is considering cutting defense spending to address fiscal constraints, despite Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's push for a military buildup to counter China. Finance Ministry officials have proposed a ¥50 trillion to ¥60 trillion spending plan over the next five years, starting in 2027, which would be a significant decrease from the current ¥43 trillion five-year plan.
Critics argue that the proposed cuts could leave Japan short of its goal to increase defense spending to 2% of GDP, as recommended by the U.S. and some domestic defense officials. The revised proposal may result in major cuts to planned purchases of weapons systems, including U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighters. Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said the advisory panel on security and defense has not yet discussed the matter in detail, making it premature to comment on the revised plan.
The Finance Ministry's defense proposal could face resistance from security hawks within Takaichi's ruling party, creating a potential clash over Japan's defense budget.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
