Japan's defence budget to reach 1.9% of GDP in fiscal 2026

(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 18th Apr, 2026) TOKYO,18th April, 2026 (WAM) - Japan's initial budget for defence spending and related costs for fiscal 2026 totaled about 10.6 trillion Yen ($66.5 billion), equivalent to roughly 1.9% of its 2022 gross domestic product, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Friday.

According to Kyodo news, Japan has set a goal of raising defence spending and related costs to 2% of GDP by fiscal 2027 in a notable shift from its long-standing practice of keeping defence spending around 1% of GDP amid growing security challenges.