Overview

• Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi denied that Washington directly demanded Japan raise its defense spending to 3.5% or 5% of GDP.
• Tokyo’s government stressed that investing in military capabilities is more important than meeting a fixed spending ratio.
• Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell pointed out that a majority of NATO members have agreed to spend 5% of GDP on defense.
• US officials indicate the NATO benchmark is intended to guide defense commitments among Asian allies including Japan.
• The timing of the next two-plus-two security dialogue between the US and Japan remains undecided amid ongoing budgetary discussions.