Japan setzt das US -Treffen ab, nachdem Washington mehr Verteidigungsausgaben verlangt hat

SS: Tokyo scrapped the annual security talks scheduled for July 1 known as the “2+2” after the US asked Japan to boost defence spending to 3.5 per cent, higher than its earlier request of 3 per cent.The new, higher demand was made in recent weeks by Elbridge Colby, the third-most senior official at the Pentagon. One Japanese official said the decision to cancel the meeting was also related to the July 20 Upper House elections where the ruling Liberal Democratic party is expected to suffer a loss of seats. Japan’s defence ministry did not comment on whether the talks had been cancelled, and said no decision had been made on the timing of the next meeting. The state department and Pentagon did not comment.