Japan has canceled its annual 2+2 security talks with the United States, originally scheduled for July 1, following a new demand from the Trump administration that Tokyo raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP .

The meeting—set to involve U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, along with Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani—was called off after U.S. officials, including senior Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, pressed the significantly higher defense target.

A Japanese Foreign Ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there had been no formal discussions about a 3.5% or 5% spending requirement and that Tokyo made the decision unilaterally.

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Why It Matters

• Alliance implications: Regular 2+2 meetings are cornerstones of Japan-U.S. defense cooperation; skipping one sets a worrying precedent.
• Strategic balancing act: Japan is walking a tightrope—balancing U.S. demands with domestic pacifist sentiment and constitutional constraints.
• Global ripple effects: Tokyo’s stance adds to international anxiety over Trump-era defense expectations ahead of upcoming NATO and Asian summits.