Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has denied US President Donald Trump’s statement regarding the Japan-US Security Treaty.

This was reported by the Sankei publication.

“This is not a relationship in which the United States unilaterally protects Japan,” the Prime Minister said.

According to him, Japan is obliged to provide bases to the United States. This is not a relationship in which the United States unilaterally protects Japan.

Referring to security-related laws that allow for collective self-defense, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwai said: “Japan and the United States are now able to help each other freely in any situation. The deterrent power of the Japan-U.S. alliance has increased significantly.”

On March 7, Donald Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with the US-Japan alliance and the terms of the Mutual Cooperation and Security Assurance Treaty between the United States and Japan.

“We have an interesting deal with Japan that we have to protect them, but they don’t have to protect us… Who makes these deals?” he said, adding that Japan ‘makes a lot of money,’ referring to the trade deficit with Japan.

The agreement

The U.S.-Japan Mutual Cooperation and Security Assurance Treaty was signed in 1960. It granted the United States the right to establish and use military bases in Japan and to deploy any number of armed forces there.

As a result of the agreement, the United States received a kind of outpost for operations in East Asia and deterrence of the communist bloc during the Cold War. In total, there are more than 80 military facilities of the US Army in Japan. Among them are 15 large military bases, where 55,000 US troops serve.

At the same time, the protection guarantees, provided by Article 5 of this treaty, similar to the NATO treaty, allow for a somewhat broad interpretation. However, they do not directly oblige one of the parties to go to war in the event of an attack on the other.

“Each Party recognizes that an armed attack on either Party in the territories administered by Japan would constitute a danger to its own peace and security, and declares that it will act to avert a common danger in accordance with its constitutional provisions and procedures. Any such armed attack and all measures taken in consequence thereof shall be immediately reported to the United Nations Security Council in accordance with the provisions of Article 51 of the Charter. Such measures shall cease when the Security Council takes the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security,” Article 5 reads.

According to the terms of the treaty, after a 10-year term, either party may notify the other party of its intention to terminate the treaty. In this case, the treaty shall terminate one year after receipt of such notification.