Photo/Illutration A Ground Self-Defense Force tank takes part in a training exercise. (Pool)

The government revised a draft document on a proposed drastic increase in defense spending in response to strong concerns raised by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

A revised version of a draft of the Basic Policies for Economic and Fiscal Management and Reform that is set to be approved later this month was presented at a June 3 meeting of LDP lawmakers.

The new draft includes a timeline of “within five years” for a comprehensive strengthening of Japan’s defense.

LDP lawmakers, including former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, called for clearer wording of what this entailed.

Wording about spending by NATO member nations was moved from a footnote in the initial draft to the actual body of the document. The new version noted that NATO nations had pledged to spend at least 2 percent of gross domestic product annually on defense.

When the initial draft was presented May 31, no timeline was set for strengthening defense.

The LDP submitted a proposal in April regarding defense spending which called on the government to implement budgetary measures so defense spending would reach levels of NATO members within five years.

Some LDP lawmakers, including Abe, called for the inclusion of specific spending targets, but the revised document was not changed from the initial wording of “consideration will be given within the budget compilation process and the necessary measures will be implemented.”

(This article was written by Naoki Matsuyama and Haruna Shiromi.)

Related News