Japan sought "quiet" talks with U.S. on defense cost-sharing in 1989

The Japanese government sought to avoid talks on U.S. calls to pay more for hosting American troops during a 1989 summit, worried that it would draw criticism from the Japanese public, according to diplomatic records declassified on Wednesday.The records regarding the summit between Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu and President George H.W. Bush show Foreign Ministry officials repeatedly stressed to U.S. counterparts the need to continue "quiet dialogue" to ensure the cost-sharing negotiations did not fall through amid the U.S. Congress' calls for a heavier burden for Japan.The two countries ul…READ FULL ARTICLE