Where Data Tells the Story
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Japan's military expenditure reached $62.2 billion in 2025, equal to 1.4% of GDP. That was the country's highest military burden since 1958, reversing more than six decades in which the share remained below that level. Spending increased 9.7% in real terms during 2025. SIPRI says recent procurement has emphasized long-range strike and counterstrike capabilities, including cruise missiles and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. KEY METRICS 2025 military expenditure: $62.2 billion 2025 military burden: 1.4% of GDP Real annual increase: 9.7% Historical comparison: Highest share since 1958 DATA NOTE The chart uses SIPRI's military-expenditure share of GDP series. Values are shown at full precision in the attached CSV and rounded to one decimal place in the graphic. The $62.2 billion figure is current U.S. dollars. The 9.7% increase is SIPRI's real-terms annual change; it must not be recalculated from the current-dollar series. This is observed/estimated expenditure data, not Japan's later 2%-of-GDP policy target.