Minister of Finance Suzuki said that he had been instructed by Prime Minister Kishida to implement a budget measure of 2% of GDP in five years, including defense costs and related expenses, in order to drastically strengthen defense capabilities. I reiterated my intention to aim to secure stable financial resources without relying on issuance.
In his instructions to Finance Minister Suzuki and Defense Minister Hamada, Prime Minister Kishida did not say that the strengthening of defense capabilities cannot be done due to lack of financial resources, but requested that the necessary contents be promptly secured.
Regarding this, Minister Suzuki said at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting on the 29th, ``Don't be reluctant because there are no financial resources'' does not necessarily lead to the use of government bonds. I suppressed the opinion.
After that, Minister Suzuki said, ``It is essential to take measures to stably support the defense force. Based on the recommendations of the expert panel, we will work closely with the ruling party to comprehensively consider the content, scale, and financial resources of strengthening the defense force. I would like to," and reiterated his intention to aim to secure stable financial resources, including tax increases, after working on expenditure reform.