WASHINGTON DC, Apr 12 (News On Japan) –
U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced frustration over the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, stating that Japan has no obligation to defend the United States, and hinted at the potential for demanding elevated protection spending throughout commerce negotiations with Tokyo.
Speaking to reporters on the White House on Thursday, Trump remarked, “We defend them, but they don’t have to defend us,” highlighting what he sees as an imbalance within the bilateral settlement.
He advised that previous administrations allowed different nations to reap the benefits of the United States, though he added, “We get along great” in reference to Japan. Nonetheless, he expressed dissatisfaction with the phrases of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, stating, “We pay hundreds of billions of dollars to defend them,” and added, “They don’t pay anything.”
Trump referred to as the settlement “just one out of thousands” of flawed offers, and questioned the motivations of those that negotiated them, saying, “I just wonder who did this,” and implying they have been both detached or hostile towards the U.S.
The former president has repeatedly labeled the treaty as “unfair,” a stance he usually voiced throughout his first time period and has continued to specific in current months.
Source: FNN