Japanese and U.S. officials affirmed the importance of the two countries' alliance for stability in the Asia-Pacific region as they wrapped up two days of preparatory talks Friday over updating the bilateral defense cost-sharing agreement, the Japanese government said.
Struggling to improve its fiscal condition, Tokyo is wary that Washington will pressure it to significantly increase its contribution to host American troops in Japan.
"We think that the current sharing of expenses to host U.S. military in Japan, based on the agreement between the Japanese and U.S. governments, is appropriate," Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told a news conference earlier Friday.