U.S., Japan to use drones to check China

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TOKYO, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- The United States and Japan are considering employing drones over the Pacific to counter China's increased military presence, officials said.

The nations are considering joint use of a military outpost in Guam to increase surveillance in the region and the proposal reflects U.S. intentions to make the American territory into an important strategic outpost in maneuverings against the Chinese, the Kyoto News Agency reported Wednesday.

Unlike the Predator spy drones employed in Afghanistan, the models under consideration for the Pacific do not have attack capabilities and are for surveillance only, the newspaper said. Under a deal with Tokyo, the Japanese will begin construction of similar drones to be housed in a hangar on a U.S. base on Guam and the two nations would jointly access the information gleaned.

The move is seen partly as a cost-sharing arrangement with cost-cutting measures in both nation's governments on the horizon.