Gates Warns Japan Not to Back Out of Troop Deal

[aimarraul]

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Gates Warns Japan Not to Back Out of Troop Deal

(Newser) – All is not well between the US and Japan. Yesterday Robert Gates warned the country of serious consequences if it backs out of a troop movement deal the two countries spent 10 years negotiating. Japan’s new ruling party wants to reopen those negotiations, as it moves to redefine its relations with the US. Washington isn’t pleased, and State Department officials complain that the new party, which ended 50 years of one-party rule, lacks experience governing.

Last week, Japanese officials announced that the country would also stop refueling warships for coalition forces in Afghanistan. An annoyed Gates pointedly declined invitations to dine with Defense Ministry officials yesterday, and warned that backing out of the military deal would be “immensely complicated and counterproductive.” The deal was designed to deal with a rising China. But as one top State Department official tells the Washington Post, “the hardest thing right now is not China, it’s Japan.”

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

lol hilarious .. why would you fuel all the way in Japan for ? to go afghanistan ? Go make stop over in china ? oh wait never mind

[black tiger]

lol hilarious .. why would you fuel all the way in Japan for ? to go afghanistan ? :

Dude the refueling was done by japanese naval tankers in indian ocean not in mailnland japan. It was an important mission for japan as after a very long time their navy played a role in a war in indian ocean region.
Regards....

[khanz]

japan is beast if the U.S wasn't holding them back they would be a major military power again.

[great one]

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A resurgent Japan would not be in the best interests of either China, India or Pakistan.