US spied on Japan government, companies: WikiLeaks
Tokyo (AFP) - The US spy agency targeted Japanese politicians, its top central banker and major firms for years, WikiLeaks said on Friday, in the latest revelations about Washington's snooping on allies.
The intercepts exposing US National Security Agency activities follow other documents released by the whistleblower group that revealed spying on allies including Germany and France, straining relations.
Japan is one of Washington's key allies in the Asia-Pacific region and they regularly consult on defence, economic and trade issues.
The leaks comes as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe moves to expand the role of Japan's military, a move applauded by Washington but deeply unpopular at home.
The claims of spying on trade officials could prove particularly sensitive after high-profile talks kicked off this week in Hawaii aimed at hammering out a vast free-trade bloc encompassing 40 percent of the world's economy.
The United States, Japan, and 10 other Pacific Rim countries are looking to finalise the most ambitious trade deal in decades.
