Donald Trump reportedly wants Japan to quadruple payment for US troops to US$8 billion
- The demand was made to Japanese officials during a trip to the region in July by John Bolton, then national security adviser, according to Foreign Policy
- Trump has also insisted Seoul shoulder more of the cost of the US military presence in South Korea, where it serves as deterrence against North Korea
Washington wants Tokyo to increase annual payments for the 54,000 US troops in Japan to around US$8 billion from about US$2 billion, Foreign Policy said, citing three unnamed former defence officials. The current agreement expires in March 2021.
The demand was made to Japanese officials during a trip to the region in July by John Bolton, at that time Trump’s national security adviser, and Matt Pottinger, who was then the Asia director for the National Security Council, Foreign Policy said.
Trump’s complaints over Japan security treaty ‘music to ears’ of China and North Korea
A spokesman for the Japanese foreign ministry said the report by the US global affairs publication is incorrect and no US-Japan negotiations on a new agreement have taken place.
Trump has also insisted Seoul shoulder more of the cost of the US military presence in South Korea, where it serves as deterrence against North Korea, and has floated the idea of pulling US troops from the peninsula.
The 1951 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security grants the US the right to occupy military bases on the archipelago in exchange for a pledge by Washington to defend Japan in the event of an attack. About 54,000 American troops are stationed in the country across 85 facilities, according to the US Congressional Research Service.
When Trump visited Japan earlier this year, he confirmed that Japan had been given the go-ahead to buy 105 US-made F-35 Lightning jets, which would give it the largest F-35 fleet of any US ally.
Is Donald Trump’s threat to quit Japan defence pact just a negotiating tactic?
Yet there are other indicators that Abe is incrementally expanding the scope and presence of Japan’s military.
The Ministry of Defence has requested a record 5.32 trillion yen (US$50.5 billion) defence budget for the next financial year. If approved, this would be the eighth consecutive year-on-year increase in Tokyo’s defence spending.
Japan’s Self-Defence Forces, which includes about 240,000 personnel across its three arms, has in the past been dispatched to Afghanistan and Iraq to serve in support and reprovisioning roles for allied nations, as well as taking part in post-war reconstruction efforts.
US bid for Seoul to keep intelligence-sharing pact with Tokyo stalls
Japan also wants to play a bigger role in the Indo-Pacific, and the US has been tacitly supporting this more proactive role.
China has been unhappy with Japan’s efforts to spend more on defence, despite warming bilateral ties. In a July white paper on defence, its first in seven years, China pointed out Japan’s shifting security policies and castigated the US for undermining global stability, noting rising strategic competition among major powers.
Additional reporting by SCMP staff
