Trump pressure to boost Japan defense spending could strain alliance

2% is not unreasonable. Spend it on missiles that can hit Beijing and Shanghai for maximum effect.

Ishiba responded that Japan will determine expenditures "on its own initiative."

Good.

Japan needs to spend less, not more. It needs to build diplomatic relations with China and take a leadership role in the region to build the trust, security and mutual respect in Asia.

Let the Americans make their own weapons and bring them here if they want to try to continue to curtail China, but Japan should not feed the US Military Industrial complex with taxpayer money.

Unless you want to start your studies NOW, in your choice of dialect of Chinese, you better change your tune.

However, from an ECONOMIC point, allow / license Japan to manufacture weapons that would normally have to be imported…that should make the Budget a lot happier, but not your subjects (Royally speaking).

If you are going to pay the US for something, make it something useful. US rice and other food products, sold into the Japanese retail system at a discount for those on low wages. More use than military shiny that you will burn fossil fuels training in but never actually use.

How can Japan increase "defence" spending? Where is the money going to come from?

A child needing reassurance from a insecure father

WA4TKG....unnecessary fear mongering....what nations has China actually invaded, colonised ang forced the people to speak Chinese. ?

Maybe Tibet...thats about it....

Look at the USA "necklace " surrounding China for a glimpse of where real concern should be directed.

Did Ishiba go to Washington to brown-nose Trump to boost Japan's defense budget from the current one-percent cap of GDP to 2 to 3 percent?

As always, Japan seems obliged to make up for the U.S.'s mess as far as its defense is concerned. 

Thus, Okinawa's wish for the reduction of U.S. bases seems a mere pipe dream from the very start.

Trump putting the squeeze on all the US allies will not bring the results he hopes for.

With Trump in the White House, I'd even rely on China for defense co-operation rather than the US.

Buying goodies from the grifter isn't going to increase security. JSDF can't make their recruitment quota and the population of military aged men in Japan is shrinking every year. Reminder. The U.S. has crossed the Pacific three times in the 20th century to fight in Asia. The first time it took two nukes to bring Japan to its knees. The Korean war which was only three years cost the U.S. close to 37,000 deaths. Vietnam by comparison was close to 60,000 in ten years, 1965 - 1975. You do not want a land war in Asia. History speaks. Howz them apples Ishiba? Get real.

The Korean war which was only three years cost the U.S. close to 37,000 deaths. Vietnam by comparison was close to 60,000 in ten years, 1965 - 1975.

Don't worry, the current administration is probably ordering all academic publishing companies to reissue all such books, stating that the US has won every war it's ever been involved in.

voiceofokinawaToday 08:26 am JST

As always, Japan seems obliged to make up for the U.S.'s mess as far as its defense is concerned.

Japans refusal to nuke up is its own mess. China's belligerence against Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines is its own mess.

Tokyo GuyToday 09:17 am JST

The Korean war which was only three years cost the U.S. close to 37,000 deaths. Vietnam by comparison was close to 60,000 in ten years, 1965 - 1975.

Don't worry, the current administration is probably ordering all academic publishing companies to reissue all such books, stating that the US has won every war it's ever been involved in.

The US did have a minor victory in the Korean War and of course in WW2.

Spend more on American defense or get ready to learn Mandarin

Present Japan where general citizen facing poverty at society where cannot even repair water and sewer pipes sufficiently can't afford to waste more huge cost of arms race anymore.

In their joint press conference yesterday, Ishiba said Japan will raise defense spending, adding that it was the Japaneses government's own decision to do so. He actually stressed that point.

TamaramaToday  07:07 am JST

Japan needs to spend less, not more. It needs to build diplomatic relations with China and take a leadership role in the region to build the trust, security and mutual respect in Asia.

Impossible as long as the CCP is in power and under Xi is determined to press it's territorial expansion and goals of regional domination.

Japan should not feed the US Military Industrial complex with taxpayer money.

The majority of Japanese purchases from the US are licensed production in Japan. The US Military Industrial Complex (wumao word of the week) as a threat to the world is nothing compared to the Chinese State Industrial Complex.

If Japan was a pacifist nation true to the spirit struck home in its constitution, had China and North Korea been so antagonistic against Japan?

It is the U.S. that has instigated Japan to rearm to the teeth and be hostile against China, etc., contrary to the constitution's war-renouncing pacifism.

China must have known Japan's pacifism was fake and farce.

"But Japan may not be able to finance defense spending equivalent to 2 percent of GDP, given that the nation's fiscal health is the worst among major industrialized countries, with public debt more than twice the size of its economy."

Japan has a choice, up the spending on defense or learn how to speak Mandarin when China takes over.

There’s that, “I know what to DO, I LIVE here” guy lol

Japan, a once proud nation now brought to this.

Tokyo, however, covers more than 85 percent of the operating costs of the U.S. military in Japan

Trump's dream will create hyperinflation and alienate alliances.

He would like to go back to the 1920s.

The alliances should not be scared by his irritating and loud gong noises but just wait for 4 years

when he finds himself failing with uneducated Republicans.

Chances are alliances would unite together without Trump's USA.

voiceofokinawaToday  12:08 pm JST

If Japan was a pacifist nation true to the spirit struck home in its constitution, had China and North Korea been so antagonistic against Japan?

It is the U.S. that has instigated Japan to rearm to the teeth and be hostile against China, etc., contrary to the constitution's war-renouncing pacifism.

China must have known Japan's pacifism was fake and farce.

Totally backwards. Japan's pacifism is sincere as proven by the fact that no one has advocated amending the fitst paragraph of Article 9 which prohibits starting any wars.

Japan, along with every other nation, is remilitarizing today because of the aggressive behavior of North Korea, China and Russia.

Time to come out and change your name to voiceofbeijing.

As I noted in another thread, the defense budget for the current fiscal year in Japan is a bit over 1.6% of the GDP.

If Japan was a pacifist nation true to the spirit struck home in its constitution, had China and North Korea been so antagonistic against Japan?

China must have known Japan's pacifism was fake and farce.

If is not 1945 anymore.

Article 4 of the constitution was a necessity at the time, and following the was, but times have changed, it's literally 80 years later.

People have to grow up and take the blinders off their eyes.

The people should be given the chance to decide the future path of Japan.

Boost defence spending by all means…. But Trump thinks we will buy stuff off the shelf from the U.S. be smart and spend and develop our own skills, workforce and industry and still say “We’ve increased defence spending Mr president. You can even compete with some American defence companies. The French have been doing that for decades and they can maintain their own independence, politicaly, militarily and economically. Buy stuff off the shelf when it makes sense.

Boost defence spending by all means…. But Trump thinks we will buy stuff off the shelf from the U.S. be smart and spend and develop our own skills, workforce and industry 

Japan has literally been doing this for decades. They have purchased US hardware across the board, over the years, and adapted or changed it, with it's own tech.

This is a so toxic relationship for Japan..

The minority government led by Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party has not yet determined when to implement tax hikes to fund the higher defense spending

There is an assumption here that hiking tax rates will lead to higher tax revenues.

This may be a false assumption.

The best way for Japan to boost tax revenues would to be to boost economic growth rates, and taxing residents more is not exactly conducive to that.

Trump was clearly happy to announce the sale of a billion dollars of new weapons sales to Japan during the press conference. Same as it ever was.

OssanAmerica,

On the way back from Uraga in Tokyo Bay to pry open the closed doors of secluded Japan, Matthiew Perry's fleet came to Naha, Okinawa and investigated every detail of the island's topography, etc. Perry recommended Washington to take over Okinawa (Ryukyu) by force, but Wasdhington didn't listen to him at the time due to a political turmoil there. Perry's imperialistic, outlandish recommendation was realized 60 years later in 1945 when Japan lost WW II.

To invade and occupy Okinawa has been the U.S.'s decades-old ambition, and so, the U.S. seems to not easily part with the hard-won war spoils. Is the U.S. on the side of justice or evil (imperialism)?

Trump has no understanding of diplomacy, and very limited knowledge of business. It is true he has a healthy knowledge of bankruptcy and court cases due to his own many instances of both.

Minimize dealings with Trump and America for the next four years, they are turning into a nation run by con men and grifters. As much as i love my American friends, right now their country is literally being run by a criminal.

How is that AUKUS submarine deal looking now @Peter14?

How is that AUKUS submarine deal looking now @Peter14?

Just forked out 1/2 bill USD yesterday to go towards that deal. Still should go ahead. Shhhh Dont make waves and stay as still as possible.

Let the residents / tax payers in japan decide. according to the text Lord T, says US wants to see more..more of japan tax payers money. OK guys if you desire to start an arms race, whilst complaining about stagnant incomes. TWC. dig deep into the equity on your Jpn? property!

You have to feel sorry for the Japanese taxpayers and the way their premier get fooled by the manipulated propaganda of the US big industrial military complex, fabricating story about belligerent China, when we all know that Washington had fought more wars than any other country in recent history and remains the most aggressive nation by nature. 

And the warlords in Wall Street are raising their glasses about naive Japan

This is a tradeoff? Either increase your defense spending and take some of the burden off the states or pony up your share of the tariffs for running a controlled economy that keeps foreign goods out. Simple choice, really. Which will Ishiba and the LDP choose?

On the way back from Uraga in Tokyo Bay to pry open the closed doors of secluded Japan, Matthiew Perry's fleet came to Naha, Okinawa and investigated every detail of the island's topography, etc. Perry recommended Washington to take over Okinawa (Ryukyu) by force, but Wasdhington didn't listen to him at the time due to a political turmoil there. Perry's imperialistic, outlandish recommendation was realized 60 years later in 1945 when Japan lost WW II.

It's 2025, not the 1800's, even you arent that old!

Japanese politicians, looking at what mass immigration has sparked both in the EU and the USA, must be planning to tighten the reigns even further.

Japan is already preparing for war.

An invasion of Taiwan would be devastating to the Japanese economy so Japanese politicians will be willing to spend more on defense.

Look at the USA "necklace " surrounding China for a glimpse of where real concern should be directed.

Would you prefer China to own that "necklace" and so control the Pacific?

How can one miss that the entire world seems to be regressing to an atavistic state: China becoming the regional bully that it was for most of its 5000-year history, Japan becoming more isolationist and militaristic, Russia attempting to restore the glory days of its former empire, Eastern Europe losing democracy, Western Europe becoming more right-wing and aggressive, and the USA not only returning to blatant racism but also becoming more isolationist and focused on its immediate neighbors to secure resources and security. I won't even go into the Middle East.

Sounds like a run-up to WW3.

Japan is already preparing for war.

Every country in the region is preparing for war. Hell even the Vatican prepares for war. Japan has been "preparing" for war since WW2 ended and they created the SDF.

What do they say about a fool and his money?

Just forked out 1/2 bill USD yesterday to go towards that deal

even the Vatican prepares for war

The Swiss Guard is a formidable force.

Japan has been "preparing" for war since WW2 ended and they created the SDF.

Yes, yes, militaries are always preparing for war. We all understand that. Should I have said that Japan has been upgrading its war machine recently to make my point?

We all understand that.

"We?" I think you miss the point.

Should I have said that Japan has been upgrading its war machine recently to make my point?

Now who is the war mongerer here? Japan isnt upgrading it's "war" machine. Far from it. If it wanted to, sure it could very easily, the technology is here and there isnt anything to stop them from actually doing it.

But they haven't, it's all in the name of their self defense, and the intent to protect their allies if they are attacked, currently something they can not do, unless the attack is actually on Japanese soil or in Japanese territorial waters.

YubaruFeb. 9

True, it's 2025 now, not 1853.

I've wanted to point out in my comment above that the imperialistic nature of the U.S., that is, to take up others' land by force, hasn't changed at all for the last 172 years.

I've wanted to point out in my comment above that the imperialirightstic nature of the U.S., that is, to take up others' land by force, hasn't changed at all for the last 172 years.

Yawn... right, and in the process defeat the "imperialist" Japanese who wanted to take over all of Asia.

Just a sore loser.

You obviously know little of American history to think that the US is "Imperialist" by nature. Until this current president that is!

Yawn... right, and in the process defeat the "imperialist" Japanese who wanted to take over all of Asia.

WW II was a war between one bloc of imperialists and another. One imperialistic bloc, to which Japan belonged, was defeated and crashed to the nail, while the other, spearheaded by the U.S., remained unscathed.

Isn't the U.S. imperialist by nature then?

WW II was a war between one bloc of imperialists and another. One imperialistic bloc, to which Japan belonged, was defeated and crashed to the nail, while the other, spearheaded by the U.S., remained unscathed.

This is literally a stupid comparison.

Yubaru,

This is literally a stupid comparison.

What's your reason for saying so?

Imperialism was in the vogue at the time when the United States was founded in 1776. And so, America's founding fathers endeavored to make America as great an empire as other leading empires at the time.

Thus, names such as Empire State or the Empire State Building were accepted by people as natural as the breathing air.

Imperialism was in the vogue at the time when the United States was founded in 1776. And so, America's founding fathers endeavored to make America as great an empire as other leading empires at the time.

The comedy continues!

@琉球の声 It's all the MIC posters have. My curiosity is whether they had the might-makes-right attitude before joining the military or if that attitude was instilled in them there.

Oh, and remember, Peace Through Strength!

Ishiba went to Washington to address the unfairness of the SOFA implementation. But he was played into Trump's hands. Trump had cajoled him by saying he liked Japan and its people, letting Ishiba forget to bring up one of the most important topics on his agenda.