Photo/Illutration The Defense Ministry in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

KURE, Hiroshima Prefecture--At least one top official isn’t sold on the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s campaign pledge to double Japan’s defense spending from the current 1 percent of gross domestic product and it’s a leader of the Maritime Self-Defense Force based here. 

Hiroshi Ito, the commanding officer of the Maritime SDF Headquarters Kure District, said at a July 4 news conference here, “If I am asked whether I absolutely and unconditionally welcome (the proposal for a sharp increase), I would say I am far from it.”

Japan’s current defense budget totals about 5 trillion yen ($36.7 billion) a year. The government would need to secure another 5 trillion yen if it wants to see the defense spending rise to 2 percent of GDP.

Ito’s comment came when he was asked his take of the proposal for the steep surge, which was also proposed by the conservative opposition Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party).

He noted that Japan’s need to come up with funds to cover ever-growing social security costs has not abated at all.

“Every government ministry and agency is desperate to secure budgets,” he said. “Has Japan’s economy become good enough to give special treatment when it comes to defense expenditures?”

He added that it is his personal opinion as “a member of the general public.”

Ito went on to say that Japan should engage in a debate over what the country really needs for improved defense and show their answers to voters after the debate, rather than the proposal citing mere numerical targets.

He also said, “There are some eye-catching defense equipment and technologies for sure, but attention should also be paid to the importance of well-maintained defense equipment and logistics.”

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