November 5, 2018

The total asset value of U.S. bases in Japan as of the end of September 2017 reached about 98 billion dollars (about 11 trillion yen). This is attributed mainly to the Japanese government’s “sympathy” spending.

The U.S. Department of Defense annually releases its report regarding U.S. bases abroad. According to the 2018 report, U.S. bases in Japan carried a total value of 98.2 billion dollars (about 11.1 trillion yen), the highest among host nations. Those in Germany, the second highest, were valued at 44.8 billion dollars in total. The asset value of U.S. bases is calculated based on the number of buildings inside the base premises, the total floor area, and other factors not including land prices.

Among the top 10 high-value U.S. bases, eight are situated in Japan including Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa, the Marine Corps Iwakuni Air Station in Yamaguchi, and Yokota Air Base in Tokyo.

The Japanese government every year allocates a huge amount of Japanese taxpayers’ money for U.S. military-related expenditures including the “sympathy budget”. With this financial support, U.S. bases in Japan are exceptionally well maintained with constant improvements. This pushes up their asset prices, contributing to the asset value formulated by the U.S. government.

In addition to the current generous portion of paying for the stationing costs of the U.S. military, the Japanese government appears to be increasing its base burdens as shown by the new U.S. base project in Okinawa’s Henoko. However, the U.S. government itself seeks to reduce the number of military installations outside the U.S. mainland. The total number of U.S. military facilities abroad decreased by 247 to 514 during the past decade.

Past related article:
> US bases in Japan valued at 78 billion dollars [May 5 and 6, 2018]