防衛費、海保予算の算入検討　ＮＡＴＯ基準で増額―政府

　政府は１３日、防衛費の算定方法に関し、海上保安庁予算など安全保障関係の経費を幅広く組み入れる「北大西洋条約機構（ＮＡＴＯ）基準」を採用する検討に入った。ＮＡＴＯは防衛費について国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）比２％以上とすることを目標としており、政府は主要国と基準を統一させることで防衛費の増額を目指す。
　鈴木俊一財務相は１３日の記者会見で、防衛費の算出に関し「経済力などを含めた国力としての防衛力を幅広く捉えることが重要」と指摘。木原誠二官房副長官も１１日のフジテレビの番組で「世界にしっかり説明できるものは考えていかなければならない」と述べ、ＮＡＴＯ基準を検討する考えを示した。
　ＮＡＴＯ基準では海保に当たる沿岸警備隊予算のほか、退役軍人への年金などが含まれる。２０２１年度の防衛費は当初予算と補正予算をあわせてＧＤＰ比１．０９％程度だが、ＮＡＴＯ基準を採用すると１．２４％となり、ドイツ（１．４９％）の水準に近づく。（2022/09/13-18:45）

The Japanese government is considering adopting the NATO standard on calculating defense expenditures, which calls for counting coast guard budgets and other security-related costs as part of defense spending, it was learned Tuesday.
   The move comes as Japan aims to drastically strengthen its defense capabilities within five years while referring to NATO countries' efforts to secure defense outlays equal to at least 2 pct of gross domestic product.
   Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has vowed a considerable increase in defense spending. The government is rushing to make coordination on the matter toward the year-end.
   Japan's defense spending in fiscal 2021 came to around 1.09 pct of GDP under its current criteria but would have reached 1.24 pct under the NATO standard, coming closer to Germany's 1.49 pct.
   "It's important to regard defense power as national power that includes economic and other strengths," Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said at a press conference on Tuesday.