Fact check: With 120 active bases, Japan has the highest number of US bases in the world followed by Germany with 119 and South Korea with 73.

1. Summary of the results

There are significant discrepancies in the reported numbers of US military bases worldwide. While some sources exactly match the original statement claiming 120 bases in Japan ^{[1] [2]}, other credible sources present vastly different figures. As of July 2024, the US was reported to have at least 128 military bases across 55 countries total ^[3], while another source indicates an even larger presence of 750 military bases across 80 countries in 2023 ^[4].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are missing from the original statement:

• The definition of what constitutes a "base" is not standardized - some sources specifically refer to "named bases" ^[3], which could explain the varying numbers
• While Japan may not have the highest number of bases, it does host the largest number of US troops stationed overseas ^[5]
• The total global footprint of US military presence is significantly larger than what the original statement suggests, with presence in 80 countries ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

There are several concerning aspects about the original statement:

• The exact repetition of the numbers across multiple sources ^{[1] [2]} using identical wording raises questions about potential circular reporting
• The statement oversimplifies a complex military deployment structure that spans 80 countries ^[4]
• The focus on base numbers alone may be misleading without considering other metrics like troop deployment numbers ^[5]

Those who might benefit from promoting specific numbers about US military bases include:

• Defense contractors and local economies benefiting from military presence
• Political groups either supporting or opposing US military presence in their regions
• Media outlets seeking to either emphasize or downplay US military global presence