Japanese Upper House election scheduled for July 20

Japanese Upper House election scheduled for July 20.

Japan has canceled a scheduled high-level meeting with the United States following a demand from Washington for increased defense spending. The meeting, originally set for July 1, was intended to be part of the annual 2+2 security talks between the two allies. However, Japan's decision to scrap the meeting comes amidst ongoing negotiations and the upcoming Upper House elections [2].

The U.S. administration requested that Japan increase its defense spending to 3.5% of its GDP, a higher percentage than the previously agreed-upon 3%. The demand was made by Elbridge Colby, a senior Pentagon official, who has also been involved in a review of a project to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had previously stated that other nations do not decide Japan's defense budget [2].

The cancellation of the meeting is also seen as a strategic move by Japan, which is preparing for the upcoming Upper House elections scheduled for July 2025. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is expected to lose seats in the election, and the government may be focusing on domestic issues rather than international defense negotiations [2].

This development comes ahead of a NATO meeting next week, where U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to press European allies to boost their defense spending to 5% of GDP. The demand for increased defense spending from the U.S. has been a contentious issue in recent trade talks between the U.S. and its allies [2].

References:
[1] https://www.rigzone.com/news/woodside_secures_preliminary_lng_deal_to_supply_jera_in_winter_seasons-23-jun-2025-180910-article/
[2] https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-scraps-us-meeting-after-washington-demands-more-defense-spending-ft-2025-06-20/