Japan balks at $2 billion to host U.S. troops

[unhappycamper]

Japan balks at $2 billion to host U.S. troops
By Eric Talmadge - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Feb 7, 2010 16:38:19 EST

GINOWAN, Japan — In a country where land is a precious commodity, many U.S. bases in Japan boast golf courses, football fields and giant shopping malls whose food courts offer everything from Taco Bell to Subway and Starbucks.

They are the most visible point of grievance in a sharpening debate about the cost to Japan of supporting the 47,000 American service members here — about $2 billion a year. That's nearly a third of the total, and about three times what Germany pays to host U.S. forces on its soil.

But facing economic woes and seeking a more equal relationship with the U.S., Japan's new reformist government is questioning whether it should spend so much on U.S. troops — a topic that was taboo under the pro-Washington administrations that governed Japan for most of the post-World War II era.

The scrutiny in Japan, Washington's deep-pocketed ally and most important strategic partner in Asia, comes at a bad time for the U.S., whose defense budget is already spread thin in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Japanese call their share a "kindness budget," implying the U.S. is getting a free ride, and its opponents say it is rife with waste. The opposition also reflects a long-standing feeling, particularly on the left, that the U.S. is taking its security alliance with Japan too much for granted.


Rest of article at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/02/ap_military_japan_020710/

[Statistical]

1. It Japan was smart they would consider this a deal.

Japan GDP is $4.91 trillion.
Most countries spend 3% to 5% of GDP on defense.

That's $150 to $250 billion a year.

$2 billion is a discount.

Personally I think we should start making Germany, Japan, and others that we subsidize their defense spending start picking up a substantial % of the real cost.

Forget $2 billion, if Japan doesn't want to start spending $50 billion for protection then we completely withdraw and they can start spending 3x to 5x as much.

[Hannah Bell]

2. since we owe japan as much or more than china (depending on what day it is),

where are all the debt hysterics on this issue?

"if we charge them too much for defense they'll stop funding our debt!!"

[PuraVidaDreamin]

3. If I were Japan I'd turn it around and make us pay 2 Bill

call it reparations, and rent.

[Statistical]

5. Then US can leave and Japan can spend 20x that on their own national defense.

Reparations is what turned Japan into a economic world power in Post WWII era.

Japan happens to live very close to the next emerging Superpower.

A superpower who Imperial Japan once raped, brutalized, and humiliated.
I doubt Chinese have forgotten the millions of atrocities including genocide committed by Imperial troops in WWII.

Japan doesn't want to pay $2 billion (personally the number should be 10x as high to defray US taxpayer costs) then fine they can go it alone. See what if feels like to spend couple hundred billion on National Defense. Even more Japan can live the the always present knowledge that China will be the next military super power and Japan can never outspend China. No matter how much they spend their neighbor will spend more and in the minds of a lot of hardcore Chinese nationalists Japan is a "problem" that needs to be dealt with.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanking_Massacre

[Obamanaut]

6. +1 n/t

[TexasObserver]

4. They ought to pay twice that.

Japan has gotten a free ride on its security costs for decades.

[AllentownJake]

7. The world is flat theory is about to be blown up

Tough economic times, nationalism is always a result, both here and abroad.

Any politician foolish enough to be spouting any kind of world rhetoric in any country that has elections is going to be out on their ass.