The United States is reluctant to mention the islets at the center of a dispute between Japan and China in the statement to be released after next week's summit, a person familiar with Tokyo-Washington ties said Wednesday.
The government proposed releasing a leaders' statement that says the United States must defend the Japan-administered Senkaku islets in the East China Sea, which are claimed by China and Taiwan, the source said.
The U.S. administration of President Barack Obama has said the Senkakus are covered by the 1960 bilateral security treaty with Japan, which obliges the United States to defend Japanese territory that comes under attack.