News Desk
22 October 2025, 03:55 PM IST
This announcement comes ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Tokyo next week.
Toshimitsu Motegi, newly appointed foreign minister, arrives at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo, Japan | Photo: AP
Tokyo: Japan’s newly appointed Foreign Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, said on Wednesday that the country intends to demonstrate its commitment to enhancing its defence capabilities in response to evolving warfare challenges and growing regional tensions. This announcement comes ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Tokyo next week.
Trump is expected to meet Japan’s newly-elected Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, on October 27, following her inauguration as Japan’s first female leader just this week. Takaichi, who has been embroiled in domestic political challenges in recent weeks, now faces significant diplomatic hurdles, with Trump’s visit and two upcoming regional summits marking key tests within the first days of her tenure.
“We are firmly preparing for President Trump’s visit,” Motegi stated, expressing Japan’s readiness for the talks.
Strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance
Motegi expressed hopes that Trump’s meeting with Takaichi would serve as an opportunity for both leaders to discuss further strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance and foster a deeper personal relationship of trust. Japan also seeks to strengthen cooperation with key regional partners, including South Korea, Australia, and the Philippines, while pursuing stable and constructive relations with China.
The visit comes at a time when Japan is undergoing a significant five-year military build-up, set to conclude by 2027. As part of its national security strategy, Japan plans to double its annual defence spending to 2% of its GDP, marking a sharp departure from its postwar pacifist constitution, which has historically restricted military activities to self-defence. The strategy also includes enhancing Japan’s strike-back capability through the acquisition of long-range missiles.
Takaichi’s government, which has shifted its alliance to the right-wing Japan Innovation Party, has expressed intentions to accelerate the review of Japan’s post-2027 military strategy, potentially involving even larger defence spending. The shift in political alliances has raised concerns that Japan’s military role could become more offensive under Takaichi, a staunch security advocate.
Motegi explained that strengthening Japan’s military is vital to adapting to emerging threats such as drone swarms, which were used in the war in Ukraine, and cyberattacks. While continuing with the ongoing military build-up, Japan plans to review its strategy and aims to communicate its plans clearly during the visit to the U.S.
Trump’s defence spending pressure
Trump’s visit is expected to come with tough demands for Japan to further increase its defence spending, potentially to NATO levels of 5% of GDP. He is also likely to push for more purchases of U.S. military equipment and additional financial contributions for the approximately 50,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan as part of the bilateral security pact.
Motegi, however, reiterated Japan’s position, stating, “Our national defence should be based on our own independent decision. What’s important is not the amount or the GDP ratio but what’s in it.”
The Foreign Minister also expressed his desire to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the earliest opportunity to discuss ways to enhance the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance.
Motegi returns to the role of Foreign Minister for the second time, having previously served from 2019 to 2021 during Trump’s first term. Known for his reputation as a tough negotiator, he now faces the task of following up on the Japan-U.S. trade agreement, particularly with regard to tariffs.
“We hope to work towards the sincere and steady implementation of the agreement to ensure mutual benefits, economic security, and growth,” Motegi said, underlining Japan’s commitment to strengthening its ties with the U.S. while balancing its evolving defence strategy.
AP
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