Japan says no shift in U.S. alliance despite Trump budget cut plans

Japan pledged Friday to remain committed to enhancing the deterrence and response capabilities of its alliance with the United States, despite media reports indicating Washington could halt the expansion of its forces in the Asian country as part of defense spending cuts.Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters that there is "no change" to the bilateral plan that was confirmed when Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump met in February, noting that "further efforts are necessary to strengthen the alliance."Earlier this week, CNN and NBC News reported the Trump adm…READ FULL ARTICLE