Japan: Trump committed to military treaty, despite report

Japan reportedly said Tuesday that President Trump assured leaders that he is committed to a major military treaty between the two nations, despite a report that he has privately expressed a desire to withdraw from it.

“The thing reported in the media you mentioned does not exist,” chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters, according to Reuters.

“We have received confirmation from the U.S. president it is incompatible with the U.S. government policy,” he added.{mosads}

Bloomberg, citing unidentified sources, reported Monday that Trump believes the arrangement is one-sided because it requires the U.S. to defend Japan if attacked but does not hold Tokyo to the same standard. He is also reportedly dissatisfied with plans to relocate the U.S. military base in Okinawa.

The pact commits the U.S. to defending Japan after it renounced the right to wage war after World War II. In exchange, Japan provides the U.S. military bases, including Okinawa, the largest concentration of U.S. Marines outside the United States.

Withdrawing from the agreement could lead to a major drawdown of U.S. presence in Asia as China builds up its own military.

The Bloomberg report claims that Trump has not taken any concrete steps to alter the agreement, despite his complaints. The news outlet also said administration officials called changes to or withdrawal from the agreement unlikely.

Asked about the Bloomberg report, a White House official told The Hill: “We are aware of the article and have raised its many inaccuracies with the journalist.”

— This report was updated at 9:59 a.m.