Bolton: "The $8 Billion Security Demand for US Forces in Japan Is Trump's True Intention... Troop Withdrawal Possible"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Former U.S. National Security Advisor to the White House John Bolton claimed that President Donald Trump demanded $8 billion (approximately 9.0696 trillion KRW) annually from the Japanese government for the cost of stationing U.S. troops in Japan, calling it "Trump's true intention" and stating that "he could withdraw U.S. troops."

Bolton made these remarks in an interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun published on the 16th. He said, "President Trump believes that the U.S. should profit from protecting Japan," suggesting that the calculation of the cost demanded for stationing U.S. troops in Japan was made in a manner similar to that for U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, according to Yomiuri.

In his memoir published at the end of last month, Bolton wrote that during his visit to Japan in July last year, he conveyed President Trump's demand regarding the cost of stationing U.S. troops in Japan to Yachi Shotaro, Director of the National Security Secretariat. He wrote that Trump's demand of $5 billion annually for the cost of stationing U.S. troops in South Korea was "an amount increased by 50% of the total stationing cost."

Bolton also reported that when President Trump raised the issue of Japanese abductees by North Korea at the North Korea-U.S. summit, North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un responded with remarks such as "the issue has been resolved." He added that if President Trump mentioned the abduction issue at all meetings with Kim, "Mr. Trump understands how important the abduction issue is to Prime Minister Abe."

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