WASHINGTON: Vice President Joe Biden is working to reassure Japan after leaked documents purportedly showed US spying on Japanese officials and companies.
Last week the WikiLeaks website published what it said were National Security Agency documents from 2007 to 2009 about Japan and companies like Mitsubishi and Mitsui. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said if true, such spying would be "extremely regrettable" and vowed to bring it up with the US.
The White House says Biden reaffirmed in a phone call with Abe that the US now focuses its intelligence on national security interests. He's citing President Barack Obama's 2014 presidential directive that limited US spying on allied nations like Japan.
Other recent leaks revealing US spying on friendly nations have caused diplomatic setbacks with Germany and Brazil.--AP