TOKYO: The government earmarked about 10.6 trillion yen (US$67 billion) for security-related expenditures in the fiscal 2026 Budget, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said at a press conference on Friday (April 17).
This represents about 1.9 per cent of the nation’s gross domestic product in fiscal 2022 (yen 560 trillion), he said, when the three current security-related documents were formulated.
In the three security documents, the government explicitly stated that defence spending would reach two per cent of GDP in fiscal 2027.
This two per cent target was achieved ahead of schedule when about 11 trillion yen was allocated in the fiscal 2025 budget, including the supplementary budget.
The security-related expenditures in the fiscal 2026 budget comprise about 8.81 trillion yen for expenses covered by the Defence Ministry’s Defence Buildup Programme, with the remaining 1.79 trillion yen designated for expenses such as the Japan Coast Guard’s budget, as well as research and development, infrastructure and cybersecurity spending by other ministries and agencies.
In the planned revision of the three security documents to be carried out at the end of this year, the wording regarding security-related expenditures — including defence spending — will be a key focus, as the administration of US President Donald Trump is calling on its allies and other nations to increase their defence spending. - The Japan News/ANN
