TOKYO – Japan and the United States are arranging a meeting between their defense chiefs in Tokyo next Wednesday, sources familiar with the matter said, in what would be the first ministerial gathering under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
New Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is prepared to inform U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of Japan’s plans to revise three key defense and security policy documents and increase defense spending to strengthen its capabilities, the sources said Thursday.
If realized, their meeting would come a day after the expected talks between Takaichi, who became Japan’s first female prime minister on Tuesday, and U.S. President Donald Trump, who had a built up a strong rapport with the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Takaichi, who holds hawkish views on national security, is often described by conservatives as Abe’s ideological successor.
She plans to push ahead with the revision of the three security documents at an early date, while increasing Japan’s defense spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product in the near future.
Tokyo aims to demonstrate its willingness to take the lead in bolstering the Japan-U.S. alliance and contributing to regional stability.
The Trump administration has been secretly urging Japan to raise its defense spending further to 3.5 percent of GDP, the sources said. The issue may be brought up during Tuesday’s summit or at the following day’s ministerial talks.
With China’s assertiveness in the East and South China seas in mind, the leaders and defense chiefs are also likely to confirm their commitment to bolstering the deterrence and response capabilities of the alliance.
After inspecting the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Camp Asaka in Tokyo on Thursday, Koizumi said it is natural for Japan to conduct necessary reviews of its defense policy, given the increasingly severe security environment surrounding the country.
AloJapan.com