Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Local sources: The Israeli force, which crossed into southern rural Damascus, has reached the town of Qatana, located just 10 kilometers from the Syrian capital
Local sources: An Israeli ground unit, comprising more than 15 military and armored vehicles, carried out an incursion into southern rural Damascus from the occupied Syrian Golan
Belgian court orders regional government to stop military exports to Israel, Belga reports
Latin Patriarchate in occupied al-Quds: The Holy Family Church in Gaza was subjected to Israeli shelling, resulting in injuries, including Father Gabriele Romanelli
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in France: Georges Abdallah’s lawyer has officially informed him of the court’s decision granting his release
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: One was martyred in a raid that targeted the town of Kfour, Nabatieh District
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: One was martyred in an Israeli drone strike that targeted a truck in the town of Naqoura
Defense Attorney: Lebanese activist George Ibrahim Abdallah will be released on July 25
Georges Abdallah's defense attorney: The decision to release Lebanese activist Georges Ibrahim Abdallah will be issued in a few minutes
The French judiciary decided to release Lebanese activist Georges Ibrahim Abdallah after 41 years of detention

Japan cancels US security talks over defense spending demands

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 21 Jun 2025 12:09
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

Japan cancels the annual 2+2 meeting with the US after the Trump administration demands higher defense spending.

Listen
  • x
  • Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, right, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shake hands during a joint news conference at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (AP)
    Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, right, and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shake hands during a joint news conference at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo Sunday, March 30, 2025. (AP)

Japan has canceled a high-level annual security meeting with the United States after the Trump administration pushed for a steep increase in Japanese defense spending, the Financial Times reported Friday. The decision comes amid rising tensions over military budgets and just weeks ahead of Japan's upper house elections.

The 2+2 meeting, which was set to take place on July 1 in Washington, would have brought together Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani. The talks were scrapped following a reported US demand that Tokyo raise its defense budget to 3.5% of GDP, up from an earlier request of 3%.

Japan's Nikkei newspaper added that Washington is seeking 5% of GDP in defense spending from all Asian allies. However, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official told Reuters that no such targets, 3.5% or 5%, had been formally discussed. He also cited scheduling challenges, including Hegseth’s focus on the Middle East crisis, as a reason for the postponement.

A US official confirmed to Reuters that Japan had postponed the talks weeks ago without specifying why. Non-government sources echoed this, while State Department and Pentagon representatives declined to comment on the FT report.

Timing linked to Japan’s elections, NATO summit

The FT report also linked the decision to Japan’s upcoming upper house elections on July 20, which pose a critical test for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s minority coalition government. In March, Ishiba rejected foreign influence on Japan’s defense budget following remarks by Pentagon official Elbridge Colby, who urged Tokyo to boost its military spending to counter China.

Colby’s role has stirred tensions with US allies. He recently initiated a review of the nuclear submarine project with Australia, adding to regional friction.

Related News

China on track to surpass US in nuclear power by 2030, WH report warns

EU delays Elon Musk's X probe during US trade talks

The canceled meeting comes ahead of a NATO summit in Europe, where President Trump is expected to renew his call for allies to spend 5% of GDP on defense. The demand mirrors his global push for increased burden-sharing within US alliances.

Japan and other allies have also faced strained trade negotiations amid Trump's aggressive tariff policies, compounding frustrations in bilateral ties.

As Tokyo shelves its key security dialogue with Washington, the decision signals deepening unease over Trump’s approach to alliance management and defense commitments.

'Everybody needs to do more' 

Hegseth previously met with Nakatani to discuss Japan's defense spending as bilateral security ties deepen between both nations, but did not specify the number required by the US. 

"We're confident that Japan will make the correct determination of what capabilities are needed inside our alliance to make sure we are standing shoulder to shoulder," he indicated.

"They have been a model ally and we have no doubt that will continue. But we also both recognise everybody needs to do more."

Nakatani, in turn, emphasized that Japan's defense spending decisions would be made based on its "own judgment and responsibility."

The US currently has 54,000 military personnel stationed in Japan, primarily in Okinawa, east of Taiwan.

Read more: Japan reports progress in US trade talks but no tariff agreement yet

  • Japan
  • United States
  • Donald Trump
  • Trump administration
  • Defense budget
  • defense spending

Most Read

An Israeli soldier abandons an excavator during an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades. Arabic text reads "The moment the soldier fled", July, 10, 2025 (Al Qassam Military Media)

Israeli media rue al-Qassam footage, alarmed by fighters among troops

  • Politics
  • 11 Jul 2025
This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows damage after an Iranian attack at the al Udeid Airbase outside of Doha, Qatar, June 25, 2025 (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

Satellite images show Iran attack damaged US comms dome in Qatari base

  • Politics
  • 11 Jul 2025
Ukraine’s Corporate Carve-Up Collapses?

Ukraine’s Corporate Carve-Up Collapses?

  • Analysis
  • 11 Jul 2025
Credible reports, including some from Israeli media itself, indicate that Tel Aviv had pinned its hopes on what can only be described as a delusional plan. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Jebraily: Iran strikes rewrote regional deterrence rules - Exclusive

  • MENA
  • 15 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Fire at new Iraqi mall kills at least 77 people
Miscellaneous

61 people killed as fire engulfs new mall in Iraq's Wasit

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro delivers a speech during a two-day conference on the Israeli war on Gaza, in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Politics

Colombia's Petro says to part ways with NATO, cites bombing complicity

A person wearing graduate robes is detained by police across the street from the main gates of Columbia University, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in New York. (AP)
Politics

Columbia yields to federal pressure, adopts IHRA to regain $400M funds

Members of a French military flight crew talk on the tarmac at France's military air base in Dakar, Senegal, between flights toward the presumed site of the crash of a missing Air France flight Tuesday, June 2, 2009 (AP)
Politics

French army exits Senegal, as president advances post-colonial reforms

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS