Japan Says No US Demand for Defense Spending Worth 3.5% of GDP

Japan denied a report that the US directly asked Tokyo to raise its defense spending to 3.5% of annual gross domestic product, with its top government spokesman saying that the amount of spending was less important than how Japan raises its military capabilities.

“Regarding defense spending, there’s no truth to that,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a press conference Monday when asked about a Financial Times report that a senior Pentagon official had told Japan to boost military spending.