Japan gives extraordinarily generous "host nation support" to stationing of U.S. troops in Japan

This year's U.S. "responsibility sharing report" shows Japan stands out among the 25 countries as the most generous in funding the stationing of the U.S.Forces.

Akahata reported this on August 19 based on the "Report on Allied Contributions to the Common Defense March 2001" published by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Japan's host nation support includes direct cost sharing called "sympathy budget," which covers the salaries of Japanese employees on U.S. bases, facilities construction, and public utilities. It was about 3.96 billion U.S. dollars in 1999, which shows that Japan is much more generous than any of the eleven nations which agree to cost sharing for the stationing of U.S. Forces.

Japan's total expenditure for the U.S. Forces, including indirect cost sharing such as deferrals or waivers of taxes and rents, was about 5.18 billion U.S. dollars, while the total amount of the other 24 nations was 3.32 billion U.S. dollars.

Japan's contribution is characterized as the "most generous of any U.S. ally" in the Report.

Akahata criticized Japan's government for spending such a huge amount for a "sympathy budget" for the U.S. Forces from taxpayers money, while spending much less than that amount to help small- and medium-sized companies maintain their businesses during the economic recession.

The "sympathy budget," which Japan is not required to pay either under the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty or the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), only shows how subservient Japan is to the U.S. (end)