Kyodo News reported from Washington on Sunday that Japan has decided to accept a request by the United States to pay more for hosting its military forces from fiscal 2022 after the two countries held working-level negotiations in Washington from late November through early this month, diplomatic sources said on Sunday. Kyodo said that Japan is expected to reach an agreement on the increase with the United States before Prime Minister Kishida’s Cabinet decides later this month on a draft budget for the next fiscal year. According to the wire service, the Japanese government is believed to have determined that an increase in host nation support is inevitable considering the need to strengthen the long-standing security alliance while U.S. forces are deploying their most advanced hardware in the region to address China’s rapid military expansion. Focus will now shift to the extent of the hike, given that the cost for basing American troops in Japan is also rising, Kyodo added.