TOKYO: Tokyo and Washington have agreed to continue talks toward full-fledged negotiations on Japan’s host-nation support for US troops stationed in the Asian country.

The two sides confirmed the continuance of their coordination at a two-day video conference of working-level foreign and defense affairs officials until Friday, according to an announcement by the Japanese government.

The conference was held before the expiration of a five-year bilateral deal on the host-nation support at the end of March 2021.

The two sides did not go into detail ahead of the Nov. 3 US presidential election. The wait-and-see mood also reflected last month’s resignation of Shinzo Abe as prime minister, who had developed friendly relations with US President Donald Trump.

In its budget for fiscal 2020 through next March, the government plans to spend 199.3 billion yen in host-nation support for US troops in Japan.

Many Japanese officials are concerned that Trump would apply stronger pressure on Tokyo to increase the aid if he is re-elected.

Japan opposes an increase in the assistance. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has said the costs of US troops stationed in Japan are appropriately shared.

With the work to compile the fiscal 2021 budget accelerating toward year-end, Tokyo is exploring the possibility of forming a provisional one-year deal with the US.

“Nothing starts until Nov. 3,” said a senior official of the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Washington appears unlikely to make a concession. It is trying to make sure of the attitude of Abe’s successor, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, informed sources said.

In addition, it is uncertain whether the US will stop its request for an increase in Japan’s share of the costs of the stationed troops if Democratic challenger Joe Biden is elected president.

“What they request may increase as negotiations drag on, creating a negative atmosphere,” a senior Japanese Defense Ministry official said.

JIJI Press