日本の防衛費増額「私が説得した」、バイデン氏が岸田首相への働きかけ示唆
読売新聞 2023/06/21 17:42
【ワシントン＝田島大志】米国のバイデン大統領は２０日、カリフォルニア州で開いた支持者集会で、日本の防衛費増額を巡り「私は３度にわたり日本の指導者と会い、説得した。彼自身も何か違うことをしなければならないと考えた」と述べた。自ら岸田首相に増額を働きかけたことを示唆したものだ。
北大西洋条約機構（ＮＡＴＯ）は加盟国に対国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）比２％の防衛費確保を求めている。日本は非加盟だが、バイデン氏は「日本も巻き込むことができると思っていた。日本が欧州での戦争に関心を持ったのはいつ以来か」と述べ、日本のウクライナ支援強化も自ら引き出したものだとアピールした。
THE WHITE HOUSE
JUNE 20, 2023
Remarks by President Biden at a Campaign Reception
Private Residence
Kentfield, California
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/06/20/remarks-by-president-biden-at-a-campaign-reception/
（抜粋）
” And as I said, with regard to Europe, when I told people that we were going to bring — I thought we could bring Japan along. You know, Japan hasn’t increased its military budget for a long, long time. But guess what? I met with the chairman — the president — the vice — excuse me, the leader of Japan for, I guess, on three different occasions, including in Hiroshima. And he convinced — I convinced him and he convinced himself that he had to do something different.
Japan has increased its military budget exponentially. And guess what? When is the last time you heard Japan being interested in what’s happening in the middle of Europe in a war and contributing to the help and support of the state of — of Ukraine?
And so, things are changing. We put together in Southeast Asia — and, by the way, I promise you we’re going to — don’t worry about China. I mean, worry about China, but don’t worry about China. (Laughter.)
Biden claims credit for Japan's defense budget increase
2023.06.23
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230623_07/
US President Joe Biden has claimed credit for convincing Japan to increase its defense budget.
Biden was speaking to supporters at a campaign reception in California on Tuesday.
Biden said Japan had not increased its defense budget for "a long, long time." He said he met with Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on three different occasions, including at the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima in May. He said Kishida "convinced himself that he had to do something different."
Biden also said that Japan has increased its defense budget "exponentially."
At another campaign event the previous day, Biden said he tried to get Japan engaged and change its attitude toward South Korea, its defense budget and its engagement in Europe. He went on to say, "It's never happened before. Well, it's happened. They're engaged in a big way."
The Japanese government plans to set total defense spending at around 300 billion dollars over five fiscal years. This is a 50 percent increase from the last five-year program.
Biden, who is running for reelection, has stressed on a number of occasions that his efforts have contributed to Japan's policy decisions.