Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says US military bases in his country remain essential to Japan's security. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Abe rejected comments by US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who said Japan should be left to defend itself.

Abe said he could not conceive of any situation when the US military presence in the country would not be necessary. Abe has vowed to boost Japan's military but he sidestepped a question on whether Japan would play a bigger role in its own defense.