"US-Japan Defense Cost-Sharing Talks Agree to 1-Year Extension Without Increase"

Kyodo News Reports Rough Agreement Reached Between Two Countries
Possibility of Early Conclusion in South Korea-US Defense Cost Negotiations

Yamazaki Koji, Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (equivalent to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), and Kevin Schneider, Commander of the U.S. Forces Japan, exchanged greetings on the escort ship Kaga of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, which is floating in the sea off Shikoku, on the 26th to mark the opening of the annual joint military exercise "Keen Sword." [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Reports have emerged that the United States and Japan have agreed on the defense cost-sharing negotiations without a significant increase, maintaining the existing level. With the resumption of defense cost-sharing talks between South Korea and the U.S., there is growing expectation that the process will be concluded quickly.

On the 10th (local time), Japan's Kyodo News reported that the U.S. and Japan have roughly agreed to extend the current agreement on the cost-sharing for U.S. troops stationed in Japan for one year.

According to this agreement, Japan will bear approximately 200 billion yen (1.91 billion dollars, about 2.1 trillion won) for the 2021 fiscal year, almost the same level as last year, and sources said an official agreement will be reached soon. This is a significant difference from the 8 billion dollars, four times the current level, that former U.S. President Donald Trump had demanded from Japan.

The U.S.-Japan defense cost-sharing agreement must be renewed every five years. Since this time they agreed on a one-year extension like the U.S.-South Korea agreement, negotiations will have to be held again next year.

Negotiations between the U.S. and Japan had been suspended due to large differences in views and failure to find a compromise, but talks resumed on the 2nd after the inauguration of the Joe Biden administration.

With the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) negotiations between South Korea and the U.S. also restarted, a settlement is expected following Japan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that on the 5th, the 8th meeting for the conclusion of the 11th South Korea-U.S. SMA was held via video conference.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.