The government finished drafting a manual Tuesday that will tell local governments and private businesses how they should support U.S. forces in times of emergency in areas near Japan.
The manual, approved by a ruling Liberal Democratic Party panel on national security, states it is "a general duty" for local governments to cooperate with U.S. forces during crises.
Municipal governments should allow U.S. forces to use their ports and airports, as well as arrange for locally operated firms to provide transportation and medical services at the central government's request, it says.