The Pentagon¡¯s No. 3 official said Wednesday that the Japanese government knows ¡°better than anybody¡± about the need to further boost defense spending, just over two weeks before Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi¡¯s scheduled summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington.
Asked during a think tank discussion in Washington about what he believes is a ¡°reasonable amount¡± that Japan should be spending, U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby declined to offer a figure, but hinted that Tokyo is well aware of the need to plow more cash into defense budgets and what that amount may be.
¡°It¡¯s not my place, or, I think certainly, to talk about specific figures or put the government on the spot there,¡± he said. ¡°I think if you listen to what the government of Japan has said, not only in the last few months, but over the number of years, they are the ones who are saying there is an unprecedented security situation around the world, but even in their own neighborhood. And they know this better than anybody.¡±
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