As 2020 draws to a close, it appears likely that Japan and the United States will not reach an agreement by the end of this fiscal year — March 31, when the current deal expires — on how much Tokyo will spend over the next five years to host American troops.
The coronavirus delayed discussions, and Japan wants to continue long-term negotiations with U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s administration after he takes office in January. In the interim, the Japanese government will likely approve a one year budget, roughly the same as this year’s amount.
What is host nation support and why is it needed?