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U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Elisia V. Gonzales
Japan will continue to financially support US troops on its territory in the amount of nearly 190 billion yen (1.6 billion dollars) a year, reported Kyodo news agency on Wednesday.
According to the agency, representatives of the United States and Japan agreed on the size of payments for the American military presence in Japan during next five years, up to March 2021. In the current 2015 fiscal year, which ends March 31, Japanese "support" of the US troops will amount to 198.9 billion yen. After five years, it will reach 189.3 billion.
The agency quoted sources, which informed that Japan is seeking to reduce the cost of maintaining US troops in the country due to financial problems. They are partly related to expansion of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces overseas functions, intended to strengthen allied relations with the United States.
For its part, as noted by Kyodo, the US wants to receive from Japan, resulting from concerns on the growing influence in the region and Chinese military power.
The Agency has information that Japan will pay salaries to 19 285 employees engaged, for example, in repairing the US military equipment. This is about a thousand people more than at present.
At the same time, Japan will reduce cost of supporting shops and restaurants for the US military. Number of them will be reduced from 4408 to 3983 over the next five years.
In addition, Japanese taxpayers will cover 61% of the cost of the US military facilities in Japan, which is less than the current 72%.
The Government of Japan should seek the parliament’s approval of the agreement before the previous agreements expires.
According to the agency, representatives of the United States and Japan agreed on the size of payments for the American military presence in Japan during next five years, up to March 2021. In the current 2015 fiscal year, which ends March 31, Japanese "support" of the US troops will amount to 198.9 billion yen. After five years, it will reach 189.3 billion.
The agency quoted sources, which informed that Japan is seeking to reduce the cost of maintaining US troops in the country due to financial problems. They are partly related to expansion of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces overseas functions, intended to strengthen allied relations with the United States.
For its part, as noted by Kyodo, the US wants to receive from Japan, resulting from concerns on the growing influence in the region and Chinese military power.
The Agency has information that Japan will pay salaries to 19 285 employees engaged, for example, in repairing the US military equipment. This is about a thousand people more than at present.
At the same time, Japan will reduce cost of supporting shops and restaurants for the US military. Number of them will be reduced from 4408 to 3983 over the next five years.
In addition, Japanese taxpayers will cover 61% of the cost of the US military facilities in Japan, which is less than the current 72%.
The Government of Japan should seek the parliament’s approval of the agreement before the previous agreements expires.
