The Pentagon has set a “global standard” for Japan and other U.S. allies to spend 5% of gross domestic product on defense, in the first official confirmation that Washington is asking Tokyo to pump up its defense budget even further.
In a statement given to The Japan Times on Friday, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell pointed to a majority of NATO nations that have signed on to U.S. requests to boost defense spending to the 5% level, saying that “European allies are now setting the global standard for our alliances, especially in Asia, which is 5% of GDP spending on defense.”
Asked whether Parnell’s remarks apply specifically to Japan, a U.S. defense official said it “is inclusive for all of our allies across the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan.”
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