The Japanese government spends $ 146 million to buy the southwestern Mageshima island of the country as a training ground for American fighters.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the deal to acquire Mageshima Island, 30 km southwest of the coast of Japan, was reached on November 29 after negotiations between the Japanese Ministry of Defense and its owners. Island.

The United States and Japan agreed in 2011 to transfer training locations for American fighters to Mageshima Island. US pilots currently fly mainly on Iwo Jima Island, 1,200 km south of Tokyo.

The US has asked to change the training site because it believes that Iwo Jima island is too far from the US military base in Iwakuni, the western city of Japan, where US fighters are deployed.

Suga said Japan will soon build infrastructure on the island for US pilots to practice landing, but did not give more details because the deal was not completed. Some residents living on the islands near Mageshima fear the noise may come from a flight training base.

Japan is now dependent on the United States for defense activities through a bilateral security alliance. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly asserted that Japan and other US allies should contribute more in defense spending.

Location of Magheshima and Iwo Jima islands of Japan. Graphics: Stripes.