TOKYO, June 22. /TASS/: Last year, Washington demanded that Japan earmark $8 bln annually for the upkeep of American military bases in the Asian country which is four and a half times more than the current amount, the Kyodo news agency reported on Monday citing the memoir of Trump’s ex-National Security Advisor John Bolton entitled: "The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir". Kyodo claims that it possesses a manuscript of this book.
The news agency noted that in his memoir, Bolton mentions that per President Trump’s directions he presented this demand to the Japanese authorities in June 2019 during his visit to Tokyo. Trump, the memoir states, ordered his ex-advisor tо threaten to Japan that American troops would be pulled out completely if Tokyo refused to boost its expenses on the upkeep of the bases.
The Japanese government until now has officially denied the rumors that Washington demanded a hike in allocations for America’s military bases on the island nation.
Tokyo’s expenses to maintain American military bases in 2019 fiscal year (ended on March 31, 2020) totaled 197.4 trillion yen (over $1.8 bln at the current exchange rate). For example, Japan pays for all the utility expenses connected with these objects, as well as the salary of the local staff.
Bolton was asked to step down from his position as White House National Security Advisor in September 2019. His memoir, containing some very scathing assessments of Trump’s performance, was supposed to be published in March although then its publication was delayed until May. At the end of April, it was announced that the book would be released on June 23. Simon and Schuster previously published the book’s preface where Bolton, among other things, claimed Trump thought foreign policy was akin to closing a real estate deal, which led to the weakening of US positions.
Trump had picked Bolton as his National Security Advisor in March 2018 and 18 months later, the US president asked him to resign.
