Japan PM urges defence savings, affirms US ties

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YOKOSUKA, Mar 22 (AFP): Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama urged closer scrutiny of defence spending in order to find savings on Monday, while affirming full commitment to the alliance with the United States.
Addressing a graduation ceremony at the National Defence Academy, Hatoyama gave few details on where savings might be found, but noted the country's finances were under strain.
"Even the United States, whose defence budget is growing... is trying to reduce drastically what they have judged unnecessary," he said.
"It is indispensable that we have a viewpoint of selection and focus in the defence budget," as well as in other fields, he told the 375 graduates at the academy in the port city of Yokosuka.