Last week, Tokyo formally asked Washington to investigate media reports that said the CIA spied on Japanese officials and business executives during trade talks. Washington agreed to take up the request, but Thursday U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Winston Lord told Japan's ambassador to Washington that he could not comment on U.S. intelligence-gathering activities.
The U.S. government "should make an effort to remove Japan's distrust of the United States," top government spokesman Koken Nosaka told a news conference.
Tokyo government officials are normally wary of speaking out against Japan's biggest economic and political ally.
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