A Japanese source reported on the 25th that the U.S. Department of Defense announced on the 24th that Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby will visit Japan and South Korea in the coming days.

It is reported that the U.S. Department of Defense released a new version of the National Defense Strategy on the 23rd, which calls on allies to increase their defense spending to 5% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Colby, who oversees defense policy, is seen as a key figure in pushing allies to raise their defense expenditures, and this visit may involve directly requesting that Japan increase its defense spending. The Japanese government should maintain a high level of vigilance regarding U.S. pressure to raise defense spending.