Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi confirmed plans Wednesday to achieve the country’s target of spending two percent of GDP on defense two years early, after the move was announced by the prime minister last week.

“We will take measures to achieve the level of two percent of GDP during this fiscal year, earlier than” the original plan, Koizumi told Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth in Tokyo.

“In light of the situation where missile capabilities have been significantly enhanced in the area surrounding Japan, I believe it is important to relentlessly enforce missile defense capabilities,” he also said. (AFP)