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'Sympathy budget' extension bill passed through Lower House Committee

The House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on March 10 approved a bill to extend the special agreement on the so-called "sympathy budget" for two more years with the majority approval of the Liberal Democratic, Komei, and Democratic parties, while the Japanese Communist and Social Democratic parties voted against.

The special agreement requires Japan to pay part of the labor costs for employees and utility bills in U.S. bases as well as costs to relocate U.S. military exercises. It is the 4th time for the agreement to be extended since its implementation in 1987.

In the discussion prior to the vote, JCP representative Kasai Akira insisted that the payment set by the agreement must be covered by the U.S. forces in accordance with the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).

Kasai criticized the Koizumi government for financially assisting the stationing of the U.S. forces in Japan because it greatly facilitates the worldwide expansion of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty setup and the U.S. preemptive attack strategy.
- Akahata, March 11, 2006