Japan's cabinet has approved a historic defense budget expansion for fiscal 2025, accelerating military spending to 2% of GDP two years ahead of schedule. The move comes amid growing debate about regional security priorities and domestic economic stability.
The supplementary budget adds 1.1 trillion yen ($7.04 billion) to defense allocations, bringing total military spending to 11 trillion yen this fiscal year. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration fast-tracked the timeline originally set for 2027 under the 2022 defense buildup program.
An Asahi Shimbun editorial warned the policy shift challenges Japan's postwar pacifist principles, particularly through proposed 'enemy base attack capabilities' and relaxed arms export rules. 'This fundamentally alters our exclusively defense-oriented posture,' the newspaper stated.
Yamaguchi University Professor Emeritus Atsushi Koketsu told Xinhua the spending surge creates unsustainable fiscal pressures: 'Exceeding 10 trillion yen in defense allocations ignores pressing social needs. The government prioritizes military expansion over public welfare.'
The budget approval follows October's policy speech where Takaichi framed accelerated spending as necessary for 'counterstrike capabilities' amid evolving security challenges. Critics argue the move risks destabilizing regional relations while straining Japan's economy.
