Japan is considering a defense spending plan of 70 trillion to 80 trillion yen over five years, equivalent to as much as $508 billion, according to sources familiar with the discussions cited by The Japan Times. The proposal would nearly double the 43 trillion yen budget in the current five-year program, which began in fiscal 2023.
The figure is not final. The government is preparing its budget for the end of the year and is reviewing three strategic security documents. The proposed funds could pay for large numbers of drones, the sources said.
Japan’s existing program, drawn up in late 2022, had already raised planned spending from an initial 27.5 trillion yen. Its priorities included long-range missiles for counterstrike capabilities, ammunition and spare parts for military equipment.
The potential increase comes as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government seeks to strengthen ties with Washington and show greater willingness to align with U.S. requests on defense and security. Japan’s Defense Ministry says the country purchased about 993 billion yen in U.S. weapons through the Foreign Military Sales program in fiscal 2025, roughly 110 billion yen more than the previous year.
Major purchases included F-35A and F-35B stealth fighters worth 222.7 billion yen in total, and KC-46A refueling aircraft valued at 222.4 billion yen. The yen’s weakness has made dollar-denominated purchases more expensive as Japan considers a major expansion of military spending and procurement costs continue to rise.
Sources: ANSA Mondo.