TOKYO(National times)- Japan\u2019s new foreign minister said Wednesday his country plans to show its determination to further build up its defense to rapidly adapt to changing warfare realities and growing tension in the region when U.S. President Donald Trump visits Tokyo next week. Trump is expected to hold talks next Tuesday with Japan\u2019s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office Tuesday after being elected Japan\u2019s first female leader. Takaichi, who had spent much of past few weeks embroiled in internal political wrangling, has to face major diplomatic tests within days of taking office \u2014 Trump\u2019s visit and two regional summits. \u201cWe are firmly preparing for President Trump\u2019s visit,\u201d Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said. Motegi said he hoped Trump\u2019s first meeting with Takaichi during his Oct. 27-29 visit would serve as an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss further strengthening of the Japan-U.S. alliance while fostering their personal relationship of trust. He said Japan also hopes to further cooperate with South Korea, along with other regional partners including Australia and the Philippines, while seeking stable and constructive relations with China. Japan is currently undergoing a five-year military buildup through 2027 as part of its national security strategy, including doubling its annual defense spending to 2% of gross domestic product. The strategy, which also promotes Japan\u2019s strike-back capability with long-range missiles, marks a major break from Japan\u2019s defense-only principle under its postwar pacifist constitution. Takaichi\u2019s government wants to move up a review for its post-2027 strategy which may involve larger military spending.
The ruling party\u2019s alliance with the right-wing Japan Innovation Party \u2014 which replaces an alliance with the dovish centrist Komeito party \u2014 has raised concerns that a revised strategy may involve further offensive roles for Japan under Takaichi, a security hawk. Motegi said Japan\u2019s further strengthening of its military capability is essential to adapt to emerging new warfare such as drone swarms in the war against Ukraine, as well as responses to cyberattacks. While firmly pursuing the ongoing five-year military buildup, the government will also review it, \u201cand we hope to firmly convey our plans to the U.S. side,\u201d Motegi said. Japan is expected to face tough demands from Trump to further increase its defense spending to NATO levels of 5% of GDP, more purchases of costly American weapons and additional spending for some 50,000 U.S. troops in Japan under the bilateral security pact. \u201cOur national defense should be based on our own independent decision,\u201d Motegi said. \u201cWhat\u2019s important is not the amount or the GDP ratio but what\u2019s in it.\u201d He also said he hopes to meet with his counterpart, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, at the earliest time possible to discuss further strengthening of the deterrence and response capability of the Japan-U.S. alliance. Motegi returns to the post for the second time after serving in 2019-2021, during Trump\u2019s first term, when he earned a reputation as a tough negotiator. He is also tasked with following up on the Japan-U.S. tariffs agreement. He said he hoped to work toward \u201csincere and steady implementation of the agreement\u201d to promote and ensure mutual benefits, economic security and growth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TOKYO(National times)- Japan\u2019s new foreign minister said Wednesday his country plans to show its determination to further build up its defense to rapidly adapt to changing warfare realities and growing tension in the region when U.S. President Donald Trump visits Tokyo next week. Trump is expected to hold talks next Tuesday with Japan\u2019s Prime Minister […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":114374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-114373","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n