An expanded military role for Japan is a more popular idea among U.S. citizens than Japanese themselves, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center.
About 47 percent of U.S. respondents said Japan should play a more active military role in regional affairs, compared with 23 percent of Japanese.
The survey was released hours before a meeting between U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani in Tokyo on Wednesday, at which they discussed developing Japan's role in the alliance.