Japan, U.S. sign military data pact

Japan and the United States signed a pact Friday aimed at protecting military data and enhancing the flow of information between the two allies, Japan's government said.

The agreement calls on the two governments to provide one another with information and protect it within the boundaries of each country's laws, the Foreign Ministry said.

The General Security of Military Information Agreement imposes tight controls on accessing and handling classified information from one another's militaries.

Private military contractors are also required to sign agreements aimed at keeping restricted information secret.

Japan and the U.S. have been discussing increased information-sharing since October 2005, when they signed a draft agreement on realigning U.S. forces stationed in Japan.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sought to bolster the country's defense coordination with the U.S., which has some 50,000 troops on bases here.

As part of that effort, the Japanese government has said it supports tighter secrecy laws to protect leaks of information, a key concern in Washington.

Those concerns were heightened earlier this year when secret information regarding the advanced AEGIS radar system was leaked on computers within Japan's navy. The extent of that leak has not been disclosed, but U.S. and Japanese officials have voiced the need for greater security.

Japan has been testing opinions in Washington on the possibility of purchasing the latest stealth F-22, but Congress has repeatedly banned the sale or license of the "Raptor" to foreign governments, largely to safeguard its advanced technology.

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Associated Press Writer Kozo Mizoguchi contributed to this report.