U.S. President Joe Biden is set to reach an agreement with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to allow large U.S. military vessels to be repaired in Japan, the Nikkei business daily reported on Monday without citing any sources.
The move would enhance the mobility of U.S. forces in East Asia, the Nikkei said.
Biden plans to host Kishida for an official visit to the United States on April 10.
The U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said in January that Washington and Tokyo were looking to make a deal for Japanese shipyards to regularly overhaul and maintain U.S. Navy warships so they can stay in Asian waters ready for any potential conflict.