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China-Japan-Koreas
US, Japan agree on deal to offset costs of US military presence
2015-12-17
The United States and Japan have agreed on a $1.6 billion five-year cost sharing deal to support US military forces on the island nation, spokesmen for the US departments of Defense and State announced, Sputnik reported.

“[By Japan] covering a share of our costs for the base workforce… this host-nation support package will help sustain the US military presence in Japan, a key part of the United States’ rebalance to Asia and the Pacific,” Defense Department spokesman Jeff Davis said on Wednesday.

The agreement takes effect on April 1, 2016, and will directly support the operational readiness of US forces in Japan, the official Defense Department News reported.

“Japan remained a key partner in the US military rebalance,” State Department spokesman John Kirby told his daily briefing.

Washington and Tokyo have been negotiating for the agreement since July 2015, Nikkei Asian Review reported on December 12. Japan wanted to cut its support payments because of financial problems, but the United States insisted on its terms being met, the report said.
Posted by:Steve White

#1  At last check, the Bammmer = USA may not authorize any more USN-led FON warships patrols for the remainder of Year 2015 - iff true, IT MEANS CHINA HAS ALL BUT ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED WON BOTH ITS ISLANDS + ITS DE FACTO CONTROL OF THE SCS TO THE DETRIMENT OF LONG-TIME US REGIONAL ALLIES IN SE ASIA.

Also explains why China has been asserting itself more aggressively agz TAIWAN + ESPEC JAPAN IN THE EAST CHINA SEA - China has seemingly prevailed or won agz Obama in the SCS, + can now focus on achieving its desired strategic access for the PLA in NE Asia vee recovery of Taiwan + in ECS.

* DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > DEFENSE OF TAIWAN IS US' BIGGEST CHALLENGE: ANALYST | TAIPEI TIMES.

ARTIC = PLA'S #1 mission is the successful invasion + conquest of Taiwan, + defending same agz any retaliatory US or US-led Coalition measures, CHINA PLANS TO USE TAIWAN AS A MAJOR MILBASE TO INTIMIDATE OR DOMINATE JAPAN, SOKOR, + PHILIPPINES.

Yeeeuup - again, China sees TAIWAN = FUTURE OFFSHORE OR OVERSEAS MILITARY CENTCOM for the PLA.
It sees the SENKAKU + OKINAWA ISLANDS + US OUT OF THE PHILIPPINES as helping to guard its future PLA CENTCOM on Taiwan.

* SAME > JAPANESE OFFICIAL WARNS CHINA ACTIVITIES IN SOUTH CHINA SEA COULD BE PRECURSOR TO [declaring a future] ADIZ | JAPAN TIMES.

* CHINA MILITARY ONLINE [PLA Daily OL] > EXPERTS: CHINA CAPABLE OF DEFENDING EAST CHINA SEA ADIZ, + flying beyond the 1st Island Chain into WESTPAC.

* TOPIX > [PH Today] PH: UN CONVENTION [UNCLOS] DEEMED USELESS IFF CHINA ALLOWED TO CLAIM AN ENTIRE SEA.

PH ForSec Albert Del Rosario.

* BIGNEWSNETWORK > [New] NORTH KOREA MILITARY CONFLICT COULD BECOME "TRANS-REGIONAL", US OFFICIAL SAYS.

USJCS Chair Gen. Joseph Dunforth, USMC.

* TWITTER > [China Post] COMMENTARY: WILL UNCLE SAM FIGHT THE CHINESE LION?

* SAME > US INTEL AGENCIES ARE TURNING SPY MISSIONS INTO PROVOCATIONS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA | [Foreign Policy Magz] COULD US SPOOKS PROVOKE WAR WID BEIJING.

THE P-8A POSEIDON MIS-ADVENTURE: SINGAPORE BUGALOO, NOT starring 1970's TV "Nancy Drew" or "The Hardy Boyz".
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2015-12-17 00:58  

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