Japan paying enough in host-nation support to stationed U.S. forces: DM

Japan believes it is paying enough for the cost of the U.S. forces being stationed here, Japan's Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said on Friday.

Inada said the costs being paid to host U.S. forces here are what Japan "ought" to be paying at the "current time."

"Japan is now paying enough for the cost of stationing U.S. forces in the country, I believe," she told a press briefing, adding "We are bearing the costs of what we ought to pay at present."

Inada's remarks refer to some 200 billion yen (1.9 billion U.S. dollars) in host-nation support paid every year on a voluntary basis since 1978 to the United States, to cover salaries for workers, as well as utilities at the U.S. military facilities throughout Japan.

Her remarks, however, come at a time of increasing uncertainty as to the future of the Japan-U.S. alliance under a Trump presidency. Trumps has already mentioned that countries like Japan should be paying more for the costs of having U.S. forces stationed there and even referenced a blanket withdrawal of troops, if the situation was deemed unfavorable to the United States.

While not responding to an eventuality where the U.S. under Trump decides to increase its price tab for its forces staying, Inada also sidestepped a question at the briefing as to whether Japan would reject any U.S. demands for an increase in host-nation payment support. Endit