U.S. ambassador urges Japan to boost its military spending

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

U.S. ambassador urges Japan to boost its military spending

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer in a public speech criticized the Japanese House of Councilors for rejecting the extension of the “Japan-U.S. special agreement” for Japan to pay for the stationing of the U.S. forces in Japan in April, insisting that Japan should increase the budget for the stationing of the U.S. forces as well as its military expenditure.

Schieffer made the remark on May 20 at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in Tokyo.

Pointing out that all Northeast Asian nations except Japan are increasing their defense expenditures and that Japan’s “defense” spending level remains unchanged from 10 years ago, he said that Japan’s ratio of its military expenditure to GDP is lower than any NATO member states and Switzerland.

“We believe that Japan should consider the benefits of increasing its own defense spending,” Schieffer said. - Akahata, May 21, 2008