Japan asked to pay more for U.S. bases

TOKYO, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- A reported request for Japan to pay more for utility costs at U.S. military bases in Japan may raise another issue affecting relations between the two.

A Kyodo news service report Monday said the United States wants Japan to pay substantially more but Japan is reluctant. The higher costs for water and other utilities result from the need to increase U.S. military capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region to counter threats from North Korea and China, sources told the news service.

Already Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is facing a tough time convincing opposition lawmakers to renew a law allowing Japanese vessels to provide refueling facilities in the Indian Ocean for U.S.-led anti-terrorism operations in Afghanistan. If not renewed, the law will expire next month.

These issues could cause “a crack in the Japan-U.S. relationship,'' a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official was quoted as saying.

The utilities question is part of the bilateral talks for a new special agreement on U.S. military bases in Japan as the current two-year agreement is to expire next March.