Japan and U.S. begin working-level talks on host nation support

Washington – Japan and the United States last week started working-level talks on Tokyo’s host nation support for U.S. forces in Japan, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

The U.S. government during preliminary talks indicated that it would ask Japan to increase its host nation support, people familiar with bilateral relations said.

A U.S. delegation led by Heide Fulton, a lead negotiator at the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, traveled to Tokyo last week to hold talks with Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry officials, including Mondo Yamamoto, deputy director-general of the Foreign Ministry’s North American Affairs Bureau, State Department officials said.

Prior to the meeting, the two sides held preliminary discussions on July 9, the officials said.

U.S. officials believe that Japan intends to limit growth in host nation support by touting a plan to boost its defense spending, people familiar with the matter said.

During the preliminary discussions, U.S. officials called on Japan to pay more in order to strengthen the protection of U.S. bases in Japan, improve facilities and secure Japanese workers, the people said.

U.S. President Donald Trump is believed to have initially urged Japan to quadruple its host nation support during his first term. Japan is concerned that the United States would ask for a significant increase again, and it plans to make a proposal emphasizing the enhancing of protection for U.S. forces’ facilities in Japan.

Japan’s host nation support totals ¥1.05 trillion over the five years ending in March 2027. The two countries plan to determine how much Japan will spend over the next five years.

The two sides aim to begin formal negotiations by autumn to reach an agreement by the end of this year, a Japanese government official said.