The Lower House passed a new special-measures agreement for financial burden-sharing to maintain U.S. military facilities in Japan and sent it to the opposition-controlled Upper House on April 3. Even if the Upper House does not pass the agreement, it will become effective 30 days after the Lower House vote under a constitutional provision. The previous agreement expired on March 31. The United States will have to make payments until the burden-sharing budget goes into effect, although it will be reimbursed later by the Japanese government.

The fiscal 2008 burden-sharing budget amounts to ¥208.3 billion. If the costs for alleviating noise problems around U.S. bases and other costs such as the provision of land for U.S. use are included, total costs will reach ¥580 billion. The special measures agreement covers ¥141.6 billion, including ¥115.8 billion for the salaries of Japanese base workers, ¥25.3 billion for heating, lighting and water, and ¥500 million for training transfers. Outside the agreement, ¥36.2 billion will be used to provide various facilities to the U.S. and ¥30.5 billion for workers' fringe benefits.

The Democratic Party of Japan opposed the agreement for the first time, taking issue with the fact that the agreement allocates money for paying the wages of Japanese working at U.S. bases' entertainment facilities. Japan provides the U.S with entertainment facilities including fitness clubs, golf courses and bars, and pays the salaries of workers at golf courses, restaurants and bars. Japan also provides church buildings.