U.S. late on rent to Japan

TOKYO, March 18 (UPI) -- There's no talk of eviction yet but the United States is a little behind in its rent to Japan for its embassy space.

Washington stopped paying in 1998 after Japan sought to raise the $21,245 annual rent the United States was charged to lease nearly 140,000 square feet of state-owned land in Tokyo where the U.S. embassy is located, The Yomiuri Shimbun reported Sunday. Britain pays about five times that rate for its embassy space, it said.

"The price is completely unfair," Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso said. "We'll properly examine the matter and negotiate (with the United States)."

The Japanese ministry provided the rent information in response to a question raised at a meeting of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.