WASHINGTON, D.C. – The US demands Tokyo to quadruple its annual payments for American forces stationed in Japan, as part of Washington’s push for allies to increase their defense spending. In addition, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said South Korea “is a wealthy country” and should pay more for the cost of stationing some 28,500 US troops in the East Asian nation.

Japan

Citing unnamed current and former US officials, Foreign Policy reported on Saturday that Washington wants Tokyo to increase annual payments for the 54,000 US troops in Japan to around $8 billion from about $2 billion. The current agreement between Washington and Tokyo expires in March 2021. According to the report, the message was relayed to Tokyo in July.

A Japanese foreign ministry spokesman stated that the report is incorrect and no negotiations on a new agreement between the US and Japan have taken place. The report came as US Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, made the same demand of South Korea during a visit to the country on Friday.

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South Korea

A South Korean lawmaker stated last week that US officials demanded up to $5 billion a year, more than five times what Seoul agreed to pay this past year under a one-year deal. The Trump administration has long put pressure on Washington’s long-time allies for more military spending. Trump has also been pressing NATO countries to pay more for their own defense spending.