Japan offers U.S. a loan to pay for troop moves

The idea of getting US Marines off Okinawa sooner rather than later has reportedly triggered a Japanese offer to front the costs, but on a loan basis.

An agreement last Fall called for 7,000 Marines to relocate from the island to Guam, but the $8 billion price tag has caused Japanese lawmakers to blanche. Now, reports circulating through the Japanese capitol suggest the central government will offer to loan the United States the money necessary to make the moves happen quickly.

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