Japan Boosts Defense Aid Budget by 60% for Fiscal 2025, Targeting Indo-Pacific Security

Japan Increases Defense Aid Budget for Fiscal 2025

Japan has significantly increased its defense aid budget for fiscal 2025, allocating 8.1 billion yen ($51 million), a 60% jump from the previous year. This move reflects Japan's growing commitment to ensuring regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

While the specific recipient nations for the next fiscal year are yet to be finalized, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea are expected to be included. Japan is also considering extending security aid to some Pacific island states.

This increased spending is part of the government's 115.5 trillion yen draft initial budget for fiscal 2025, approved by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet in late 2024. In the current fiscal year, Japan allocated 5 billion yen for defense aid, with the Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia, and Djibouti as recipients.

The defense aid framework, launched in 2023, aims to "ensure the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region" and "create a security environment desirable for Japan," particularly in light of China's growing maritime assertiveness in the South and East China Seas.

The program supports developing countries in strengthening their defense capabilities in areas such as maritime and aerial surveillance, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, and U.N. peacekeeping operations. It's important to note that this assistance falls outside of Japan's official development assistance, which is restricted to non-military objectives.

The government has also allocated 566.4 billion yen for development aid in the next fiscal year, representing a 0.2% increase from the previous year.