US demands Japan triple share of troop-hosting costs: media

The U.S. government has asked Japan to shoulder more than 3 trillion yen (about 19 billion U.S. dollars) in host-nation support costs for U.S. forces stationed in Japan starting in fiscal 2027, roughly three times the previous amount, Japanese media reported on Friday, citing sources.

According to reports by the Kyodo News and other Japanese outlets, the two countries launched negotiations in Tokyo this summer over the cost-sharing arrangement for the five-year period from fiscal 2027 (April 1, 2027 to March 31, 2032).

Further consultations were held in the United States and Japan in October, with talks expected to enter the final stage next week.

Both sides hope to reach an agreement within the year.

According to sources, the U.S. has asked Japan to raise its contribution to more than 3 trillion yen (about 19 billion U.S. dollars), a figure Japan has described as "difficult to accept."

Host-nation support agreements are typically renewed every five years. Under the current arrangement, Japan bears about 1.055 trillion yen (about 6.4 billion U.S. dollars) in costs for U.S. forces in Japan for fiscal 2022 through 2026.

Japanese media say the government is weighing options amid U.S. pressure, domestic public opposition and fiscal constraints. Sources say that Japan is considering raising its contribution to about 1.5 trillion yen (about 9.5 billion U.S. dollars), which would mean about 300 billion yen (about 1.88 billion U.S. dollars) per fiscal year.

Japan has allocated funds for U.S. forces in Japan since 1978 to support day-to-day operations, including utility costs at bases and facility maintenance and renovation.

A spectacular blanket of morning mist has enveloped the waters and forests around a bridge over the Ili River in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region as the diurnal temperature gap widens over the past few days.

Piercing through the gauzy fog, the first rays of dawn cascade into warm, golden beams, spilling over the broad river surface and the sprawling secondary forests along the banks. The scene unfolds like a luminous, gently breathing oil painting - soft, fluid, and alive with color.

Along the riverside, vast groves of golden poplars stand in graceful disarray, while secondary forests, a layered mosaic of deep emerald and tender green, stretch continuously.