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Japan trims budget for U.S. bases supportDate Posted: 2007-12-21 The U.S. ambassador to Japan and Japan’s Foreign Minister reached the compromise, which reduces Japan’s share of utilities costs for the American bases by 1.5% in the years 2009 and 2010. Thomas Schieffer and Masahiko Komura said the deal drops Japan’s share of stationing costs to ¥24 .9 billion. As part of the negotiated deal, the U.S. and Japan agreed to keep Japan’s costs next year at current levels. The U.S. had been urging Japan to pick up a larger share of the tab for stationing nearly 50,000 American troops in the country, but Japan complained public sentiments were against higher amounts. The new Special Measures Agreement addresses labor and utility costs, among others. Japan’s SMA support currently is ¥140 billion, more than half the total ¥217.3 billion the country’s total commitment. |
   
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