Tokyo: Japan's defence minister says his country already pays enough for US troops based there, a response to repeated demands by President-elect Donald Trump that countries hosting American forces should pay more.
Trump's remarks during the election campaign have raised concern in Japan about a possibility his administration may seek Japan's increased spending for American forces.
Defence Minister Tomomi Inada stressed that the presence of U.S. troops in Japan serves as a key deterrence in the Asia-Pacific region and they should stay.
Japan pays about 200 billion yen (USD 1.9 billion) a year - or about 70 per cent - in so-called host-nation support for 50,000 US troops.
Inada said on Thursday: "I believe it's enough. We pay what we are supposed to cover."
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