The Asahi Shimbun  reports that “Tokyo wants to slash the ‘sympathy budget’ used to cover expenses for the U.S. military here, while Washington is seeking more Japanese spending as the two allies prepare for Japan’s expanded security role abroad.”  

“A special agreement that serves as the basis for the sympathy budget runs out at the end of the current fiscal year, so the two countries are holding discussions on spending levels for the next five years.”  

“So far, they have failed to narrow the wide gap.”