Why Allies Need US Base
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PlurkJapanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has been left to decide what to do about a controversial US air base. The choice is clear.
By David Axe
A gray US Air Force tanker banks sharply toward the runway, its four turbofans screaming as it flares for landing. As its tires hit the runway they give off a bluish smoke through which the outline of a US Navy maritime patrol plane taxiing on the tarmac becomes visible.
It’s the patrol plane’s turn now, and it accelerates, its propellers grinding the air, to take its place in a long line of aircraft waiting to take off from the Kadena Air Base, the largest part of what is arguably the most vital military complex in the Pacific for the United States and its closest regional allies.
An explosive political drama that reached its climax earlier this month underscored the importance of Kadena and the surrounding bases. On June 2, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama stepped down after weeks of tumbling public support for his administration. The reason—the ongoing uncertainty over the future of US forces in Japan.
During the general election campaign last year, Hatoyama had vowed to reconsider a 2006 deal over the relocation of US Marines from the Futenma Air Station, a smaller base just south of Kadena. After strongly hinting that he would abandon the 2006 deal, Hatoyama announced in late May his continued support for the existing agreement reached under the previous Liberal Democratic Party administration.
Under this agreement, the Marines would eventually relocate their airstrip to a less-populated part of the island prefecture. But many Okinawans oppose any US military presence there at all. US bases—and Futenma, especially—have generally been unpopular among the now largely pacifist Japanese public, particularly Okinawans. In 1995, three US servicemen from Futenma abducted and raped a local schoolgirl, further stoking opposition to the base. And aircraft crashes are another safety concern, especially as Kadena and Futenma have between them several hundred US military aircraft permanently based at facilities surrounded by densely populated residential neighbourhoods.
The decision to stick with the 2006 deal represented the belated recognition on Hatoyama’s part that ‘there was no other good option’ for the strategically-vital Marine presence and for the US-Japanese alliance in general, according to Michael Auslin, an Asia expert with the American Enterprise Institute. In that context, the prime minister’s vague election promise to Okinawan base-detractors was a ‘miscalculation.’
So, will the Futenma dispute also prove the undoing of Hatoyama’s successor, Naoto Kan, who has so far stayed quiet on the base issue? If anything, the crisis over Futenma underscored the lasting, even growing, importance of US military facilities in Okinawa—not only for the United States, but also for Japan and other US allies. As China’s economic and military rise continues and tensions mount over North Korea’s nuclear programme and its alleged sinking of a South Korean warship, the US and its Asian allies need Okinawa more than ever.
‘The US, South Korea and Australia have been very vocal to Japan, saying, “Hey, be careful what you’re doing,”’ Sheila Smith, an analyst with the Council on Foreign Relations, says. ‘This isn’t a good moment to be taking large numbers of US forces out of Japan.’
Photo Credit: David Axe
Michael
Why couldn’t the base be moved to some part of Japan that DOES want it? After 20 years of economic stagnation, there’s probably plenty of places in the Japanese mainland who would be happy to host the Americans.
shuhei
Dear Michael,
Thank you for the question.
“Why couldn’t the base be moved to some part of Japan that DOES want it? After 20 years of economic stagnation, there’s probably plenty of places in the Japanese mainland who would be happy to host the Americans.”
Unfortunately, many people would rather be poverty stricken than accept the US military bases.
Here are some articles on this exact issue:
Japan Tokunoshima islanders reject US Marines base
http://rainbowwarrior2005.wordpress.com/2010/04/03/japan-tokunoshima-islanders-reject-us-marines-base/
Japan Kagoshima governor rejects US Marines base
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=122310§ionid=351020406
http://watchingamerica.com/News/56794/the-curse-of-deterrence-theory/
The article above says the following:
Tokyo Shimbun, Japan
The Curse of Deterrence Theory
To release ourselves from this spell, we must relieve Okinawa’s unequal burden.__Translated By Ryo Kato__16 May 2010_
Edited by Celeste Hansen
Japan – Tokyo Shimbun – Original Article (Japanese)
Yesterday was the anniversary of Okinawa’s return to Japan from the United States. Though it has been 38 years since the administrative reversion, 75 percent of U.S. bases in Japan are still concentrated in Okinawa, which prompts consideration about the state of Japan-U.S. relations.
The Democratic Party of Japan boasted a 70 percent Cabinet approval rating at the inauguration of its government. However, after only eight months the party is in deep distress as the Cabinet approval rating has plummeted to 20 percent. One major reason is the growing doubt regarding the relocation of the Futenma Marine Corps Air Station.
At first, Prime Minister Hatoyama promised to reduce the burden of hosting bases on Okinawa residents. He also promised that at very least the replacement facility would be outside the Okinawa prefecture. Now, he raises a red flag to express that moving the base outside of the prefecture will be “difficult.”
Excuses for Inability to Keep Public Promise
The Prime Minister explains that moving the base outside of the country or prefecture is difficult because “U.S. forces in Okinawa are logistically linked, and the deterrence offered by their presence could be better maintained if they are together.” This reasoning is not convincing. Rather, he has introduced the concept of deterrence into his excuse for failing to commit to his public promises.
It seems that the self-imposed decision deadline at the end of May will be pushed back. The government must first admit its clumsy handling of the issue and apologize to its citizens, starting with the Okinawa constituents.
The 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, the only permanent foreign deployment of the U.S. Marine Corps, is stationed in Okinawa. Likewise, the Futenma Air Station houses Aircraft Group 36, which provides helicopters and re-fueling aircraft. The Prime Minister claims that moving this air unit to the coastal area of Camp Schwab, located near the Henoko district of Nago, would not affect the deterrence capability of the U.S. presence. He has yet to substantiate this claim.
The U.S. has deployed the Marines stationed in Okinawa to Iraq and Afghanistan. They frequently take part in training and exercises conducted in the Pacific region. Despite this deployment, no one says that the U.S. ability to provide deterrence in the Far East has diminished.
Even If Not in the Okinawa Prefecture
It is natural to see the stability of this region as based on the deterrence provided by the entirety of U.S. forces stationed in Korea and Japan, the U.S. Seventh Fleet, the South Korean military and the Japanese Self-Defense force. However, if there is an emergency on the Korean Peninsula, the U.S. Marine Corps’ role would be to evacuate U.S. citizens and secure North Korean weapons of mass destruction. This is rapid mobility, not deterrence.
If the Chinese military and American military were to confront each other, the outcome would be a competition over air superiority and naval control of the region. In this instance, the U.S. naval air capabilities would be more important than the Marine Corps. The defense of the Senkaku Islands is the responsibility of the Japanese Self-Defense Force, and whether the Marine Corps would intervene is uncertain.
In an emergency, additional Marine reinforcements would come from the United States, which contradicts the notion that regional deterrence is impossible without the Marine Corps presence in Okinawa. Why, then, is the U.S. administration unable to speak of relocation outside of the country or the prefecture? It is because there are issues that the U.S. does not want to raise, even after a change in administration.
The U.S. military bases, the burden of expenses and the inequality that marks the Japan Status of Forces Agreement are remnants of the U.S. occupation. The Prime Minister claims a “close and equal U.S. alliance,” but he needs to clarify the political problems caused by current plans to relocate the base within the prefecture. He should regroup and begin candid discussions with the U.S about the appropriate relocation of the military station.
The Prime Minister keeps flip-flopping on his position and the Japan-U.S. alliance is in a state of crisis. These problems are not necessarily all bad for Japanese citizens. Regardless of intent, the issues of American deterrence and the feelings of the Okinawa constituents have brought the entirety of Japan together. In Okinawa, people openly refer to the heavy burden of hosting the Marines as discrimination at the hands of the Japanese mainland.
Originally, the Marines in Okinawa were based in the Gifu and Yamanashi prefectures. In 1956, due to the Sunagawa incident and other anti-base movements on the Japanese mainland, U.S. bases on the mainland moved to Okinawa, which at the time was still under U.S. military governance.
If the U.S. presence in Japan is indispensable for the stability of the East Asian region, all Japanese citizens should pay proportionately for these expenses. Forcing U.S. bases on Okinawa in the name of maintaining the Japan-U.S. mutual security structure is an empty argument. With the reduction of the burden on Okinawa in mind, the Hatoyama Cabinet is currently talking to all the governors of Japan. The Governor of the Osaka Prefecture, Hashimoto Toru, has expressed a positive attitude.
Sharing the Burden
Of course, the majority of residents must accept the idea, but if the maintenance of security policy is important, then the nation as a whole should shoulder the burden that Okinawa citizens bear. If Prime Minister Hatoyama believes this is too difficult, then he should seek to relocate the base outside of Japan. Deterrence theory is just an excuse to keep the U.S. bases in Okinawa. To release ourselves from this spell, we must relieve Okinawa’s unequal burden.
To summarize all this:
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama asked prefectural governors to share the burden of hosting U.S. forces in Japan with Okinawa Prefecture, which currently accepts a large part of the military installations and drills.
‘‘I would like to somehow lessen the burden on people in Okinawa,’’ Hatoyama said at a meeting of the National Governors’ Association.
‘‘I’m asking you all to consider the possibility’’ of accepting some of the drills currently conducted on the island prefecture. Many of the governors clearly showing their reluctance. At the meeting which was open to the media, ‘I want all of you to consider (the issue) as a problem for all the Japanese people,’’ Hatoyama said.
Okinawa Gov Hirokazu Nakaima called for assistance from his colleagues, saying that people in Okinawa ‘‘have been forced to bear more burdens than they could carry.’‘
Other participants in the meeting included Tokyo Gov Shintaro Ishihara and Osaka Gov Toru Hashimoto. Yuichiro Ito, the governor of Kagoshima Prefecture, whose Tokunoshima Island had been named as a possible relocation site for Futenma’s helicopter unit, was clearly reluctant to accept Hatoyama’s request.
‘‘All the people on the island oppose (the relocation). We are in an extremely difficult situation,’’ Ito said.
Thus as you may see,
The Osaka Governor Toru Hashimoto, was the only mayor who had the willingness to host the US Marines, a strong doubt and opposition has already been expressed from the governor of the neighboring prefecture, Toshizo Ido who is on the side of the conservatives and will do everything to block Governor Hashimoto’s plan.
This is the answer to your question.
No body wants the US bases on their land. Believe me, you don’t want them breathing down your daughter’s neck either. Living with thousands of 18 year pheromone ridden with lack of morals, lack of education, trigger happy baby killing jarheaded youth is just not a good idea. They are a burden to everyone. Germany doesn’t like them either.
I’ve heard there have been conservative jokes( that democrats hate) about putting the US marines on Takeshima Island. An island in between Korea and Japan. No one lives there. Fantastic location. Strategically comprehensible. But it would cause international problems because this Takeshima Island ownership is in dispute. The two countries in dispute are Korea and Japan. Korea says Japan stole it in WWII and Japan says the US agrees that it belongs to Japan. As you can see, this idea will cause more problems. Yes, the US government is the cause of all the problems. The easiest way to resolve the problem would be if the US government would just talk with Korea and Japan and make a treaty to protect both countries by putting the US bases on Takeshima Island would end the dispute. And make many people happy. Who knows maybe the President might get another peace award?
Or
(This idea would definitely not work)
Tori Island, the island where the US marines had bombed depleted uranium to the point that the island is about to disappear and go puff!!
No one lives there. Tori Island has long been used as an American military aircraft shooting range, Torishima Firing Range. It gained some notoriety in the 1990’s after it was discovered that U.S. Marine Corps Harriers had fired some 1,520 armor piercing incendiary shells made from depleted uranium during exercises from December 1995 to January 1996.
The US said that the island is safe. Well prove it by putting the US bases on Tori Island. It would make everyone incognito nonchalantly happy. Like the quote in the movie, Apocolypse Now, “There is nothing like the smell of napalm (uranium) in the morning”. Sorry sick joke and I watch too many great American movies. The actors were great in performance, though. It is a good movie.
Both islands are uninhabited islands. But Tori Island is an Okinawan Island near other islands thus the people would oppose. I would snicker but a oppose. Since I do consider American soldier health important even though I don’t like them and it would be way to cruel. I would feel sorry for the American mothers who are innocent. Okinawans believe in world peace.
So, how about Takeshima Island. It’s near Tokyo! Great place. Great location. American military would love it!! Near Korea and Tokyo! Just 30 minutes away!! The American military can show their deterrence and growl at North Korea to get back the abductees and everyone would be happy.
shuhei
Good News! I saw this on YouTube. And thought it would be good to share.
Ron Paul (Libertarian Republican Texas Congressman ) and Democrat Senator Barney Frank: Cut Military Spending videos: Larry King CNN
Ron Paul And Barney Frank Agree On Something! (Part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YigwzxKA_qE&feature=related
Ron Paul And Barney Frank Agree On Something! (Part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMHqSpMqPLw
Ron Paul and Barney Frank agree that
They said (US) don’t need 15,000 Marines in Okinawa and fifteen thousand Marines in Okinawa are irrelevant to what the US wants to do with China. They said, they want U.S. troops out of Germany, out of Okinawa, out of Germany, and out of South Korea, to eliminate some expensive military systems, they say they can save $1 trillion in U.S. tax-payer money over the next 10 years.
They also said, NATO was a wonderful accomplishment in 1949. In the years since, Western Europe has gotten strong, the military threat to Western Europe, the Soviet Union, has disappeared. The US continue to subsidize the budgets of Western Europe.
here is the exact quotes:http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128434888&sc=tw
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-barney-frank/why-we-must-reduce-milita_b_636051.html
One target in Frank’s sights: the U.S. military base in Okinawa. “We don’t need 15,000 marines in Okinawa – they’re a hangover from a war that ended 65 years ago. And Japan now ought to be able to defend itself.”
Frank says U.S. sea and air power can deal with any threats from China, so having troops stationed nearby is unnecessary. “No one thinks you’re going to land 15,000 Marines on the Chinese mainland to confront millions of Chinese military.”
Same goes for Europe. “NATO was a great accomplishment 61 years ago,” Frank points out. “I don’t see why we need troops in Okinawa or why we need troops in Germany, why we need troops in Italy.”
Some have argued that it’s normal to position troops in ally countries. “Well, if that’s the case, where are the Belgian troops in Arizona? Where are the French troops in South Dakota?”
Besides closing bases, Frank sees another place for major cost savings. “During the Cold War, we had three ways of destroying the Soviet Union with thermonuclear weapons,” he says. “We had nuclear submarines; we had the intercontinental ballistic missile and the strategic air command.”
These days, Russia’s not the threat it used to be. Frank’s proposal to the Pentagon is simple: “You know these three ways you have of destroying what’s now Russia? Why don’t you keep two and give up one? And save us tens of billions a year.”
I just thought this info should be shared.
Shuhei
Dear Daniel
You should read American authors more often. It seems that your bookshelf is lacking.
That part about you being prompted by this part in my writing:
“Do you know why?
The reason is when Okinawa used to be an independent country called Ryukyu back 300 years ago. We had our own Kingdom. We were happy. A Ryukyuan delegate, Makishi Chouchu, heard that the Japanese were going to take over our kingdom, and he went to China to ask for military help. The Chinese were good people and had a great dynasty and King who agreed to help us. The Chinese sent 3000 troops over the sea of China and Ryukyu to help us fight back the Japanese. Unfortunately, a huge typhoon killed the Chinese troops and Ryukyu (which means the Dragon’s sphere) was taken over by the Japanese who changed our country name to Okinawa (which means thrown away rope.) The irony is, China was the only country that really tried to save us in history. To this day, Okinawans like China.Isn’t this ironic, don’t you think.”
Well, this part was written in George H. Kerr’s book called “Okinawa: The History of an Island People (paperback)”. This is why this historical fact is written in all of our highschool textbooks throughout Okinawa. In Okinawa this book is common knowledge. You can buy it on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Okinawa-History-Island-George-Kerr/dp/0804820872/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279089746&sr=1-9
By the way, George H. Kerr was an American diplomat during WWII. He is famous for his excellent account of historical facts. He was also a US Naval Reserve and worked for the US Navy. You gotta like the guy. He’s a good intelligent well -educated moral navy person unlike jarheads who lack education and morals.
Daniel, your book shelf is quite lacking, I’m sure you are very seriously embarrassed by your ignorance, prejudice, and preassumptions. But please, do read this book . It would do good for you to read a good American book instead of reading a Cultural Revolution text from a Red Guard that Daniel, himself, claims to have read.
George Kerr is an excellent AMERICAN author. He is definitely worth reading. He is also a great representation of democracy.
As for Daniel’s statement on his preassumptions about Okinawans considering US military as Allies:
Please read this:
http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-152756-storytopic-3.html
“Be democratic and respect human rights Remove U.S. Marine out of Okinawa
2009 The root of friction in the US-Japan relationship
Seigen Miyazato Head of the Okinawa international issues
study group
On president Obama’s visit to Japan, I am writing this letter to reaffirm that the Futenma relocation plan is against many Okinawan people’s will, and the U.S. and Japanese governments made the plan without consulting Okinawans. I would like to ask for the review of this undemocratic plan to remove the U.S. marines out of Okinawa.
According to the recent poll conducted by the Ryukyu Shimpo and Mainichi Shinbun, 70% of Okinawan demand the Japanese government to relocate Futenma outside Okinawa or the country. 83.5% support for the reduction of U.S. forces, 70% disapprove to move Futenma to Henoko or Kadena airbase. People’s will is represented by the rally held on 8th of this month. In the previous election for the Lower House, all candidates of Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito lost in Okinawa. Also, opposition parties hold a majority in the prefectural assembly.
Under the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty, Okinawa was placed under the sole control of U.S. administration. Okinawa was reverted to Japan in 1972, but most of t hebases were left untouched. Okinawa was left out of scheme in both Peace Treaty and reversion. And todayÅfs realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, the U.S. and Japanese government, again, decided the plan without consulting Okinawans.
Both governments have stated that the understanding of Okinawan people is absolutely necessary, but in fact, they have used both “carrots and sticks” to force Okinawans to accept base construction.
I believe the president who respects human rights will understand Okinawa’s anger. It is aberration and injustice U.S. bases have been in Okinawa for 64 years after the end of WWII. Okinawa’s anger has reached the end of patience. The presence of the U.S. Marine bases will surely be a root of friction in the U.S.-Japan relationship. Now is the time for “change”, to have a stable relationship between the two countries. It is my sincere wish that the president will make a bold decision.”
and read this.
http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-152755-storytopic-3.html
“-Please listen to the voices of Okinawa- To Mr. Barack Obama, President of Unit
2009
Kunitoshi Sakurai President Okinawa University
I show my sincere respect to Your Excellency as the democratically elected president of a democratic country, U.S.A., and as the distinguished world leader advocating nuclear disarmament. In the last election of the House of Representatives, Okinawan people elected democratically, in all constituencies, candidates who are against the relocation of the U.S. Marine Futenma Air Station to Henoko. I am convinced that Your Excellency will respect the will of Okinawan people shown in this election.
Okinawa, which is only 0.6% of Japan’s area, contains 75% of U.S. bases in Japan. It is already beyond the capacity. Futenma Air Station is so dangerous that Donald Rumsfeld, when Secretary of Defense, visited this area and had no other choice but to recognize the imminent danger. It should be closed immediately. On the other hand, the sea of Henoko, which has been proposed as the candidate site for relocation, is extremely rich in biodiversity with many endangered species including dugongs. Okinawa is often referred to as the “Galapagos of the East”. Henko is outstanding in Okinawa in terms of biodiversity.
In the 21st century, which is called as the century of environment, U.S.A. and Japan are strongly requested to take leadership in the protection of biodiversity. The handling of biodiversity rich sea of Henoko by two governments is the center of world attention. New base construction which damages biodiversity will not win the support of the U.S. public.
There has been a lawsuit in the U.S. Federal Court of San Francisco about the protection of the dugong in Okinawa, arising out of the fear that they might become extinct as a result of construction of a new base at Henoko. The court ordered the Pentagon to evaluate how the construction and use of the new base in the Henoko area would affect the endangered dugong in Okinawa, and take the result of the evaluation into account as they actually execute the construction plan and operate the base. The Pentagon responded by saying that Japanese Government’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures would do this task for them. However, the EIA conducted by Japanese Government is far from being satisfactory. It is so ill-made that there is an ongoing lawsuit demanding Japanese Government to redo EIA from the beginning.
If the poor quality of Henoko EIA becomes open to the U.S. public, their confidence in Japanese and U.S. Governments will hit bottom because of their special feeling of affinity to manatees, the relatives of dugongs.
I hope wholeheartedly that Your Excellency would listen to the voices of Okinawan people and dugongs.”
please read this. http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-152754-storytopic-3.html
“Keystones and Linchpins: contradictory views on base relocation
2009
Douglas Lummis Political Scientist
Okinawa has been called “the keystone of the Pacific.” A keystone is what keeps an arch from collapsing. In an arch, the left side wants to fall right, and the right side wants to fall left. The keystone transforms these opposing motions from the forces that would destroy the arch into the forces that keep it in place.
The arch to which Okinawa is the keystone is not military but political. Politically, the US maintains its system of bases in Japan by balancing many contradictory social forces. Okinawa is the keystone that transforms these forces from something that could destroy the balance into the very forces that maintain the arch.
Consider the average mainland Japanese citizen: Yamato Taro. He favors the status quo, which means he supports both the Peace Constitution and the Japan-US Security Treaty (AMPO).
How is it possible to maintain such contradictory ideas in the mind of one person?
The answer is, Okinawa. By keeping 75% of those bases on faraway Okinawa, Mr. Yamato can both imagine he is a pacifist, and imagine that the US military is here to protect him.
Thus, the thing Mr. Yamato most hates to hear from Okinawa (because it destroys the balance) is that this radically unequal distribution of bases should be rectified, for example by moving the USMC Futenma Air Station not to Henoko, but to the mainland. But he has two answers to this, which used to work.
The first: No peace-loving person should be satisfied by merely moving bases from one location to another. The Okinawa bases, like all military bases everywhere in the world, should be abolished, not relocated.
A splendid sentiment. But in this context it means: until peace is established throughout all the world, the bases must stay in Okinawa.
Thus Japan’s pacifist sentiment is transformed into a force holding the arch in place.
The second: ÅgThere is no place in the Japanese mainland where a new base can be put.Åh
Thus the keystone is squeezed even harder from both sides, and the arch remains rigid.
But, as to, no place, this is a political, not a geographical fact. It means, wherever you try to put a new base in the mainland, people will protest. In other words, where people object, bases cannot be put. But if that’s true, then Okinawa is absolutely the last place where a new base can be built.
Mr. Yamato objects still: Well then, where should the bases go?
But that’s a problem created by the contradictions in Mr. Yamato’s thinking. Okinawa has no obligation to solve it for him. Perhaps, realizing that will help Mr. Yamato to begin rethinking the whole matter.
When US Secretary of Defense Gates was in Tokyo, he called Henoko the “linchpin to America” system of bases. Indeed. So the “keystone” also has a “linchpin?”
Well, the residents of Henoko have long since pulled that linchpin out. It will be interesting to see what happens next.”
Daniel, you should also read “Justice: A Reader” by Michael J. Sandel. Professor Sandel is famous in Japan since he is a Harvard University Professor. He is also a good intelligent American. NHK recently showed his Harvard Seminar on TV for about a month. I saw it and it was really interesting since he also thinks that slavery and colonization is wrong.
shuhei
Dear Daniel,
After reading Daniel’s commentary, and shocked to find that he so creatively change and bend my explanation of Okinawan history to fit his personal opinion was quite insulting.
By the way, I am Okinawan since birth. I studied at Okinawa International University and witnessed US military violence when your American military crashed into my University. I witnessed your military take away and threaten other students who were trying to take pictures of the crash. I also studied English for four years because it is mandatory according to the Japanese Department of Education.
I previously voted for the DPJ (Democratic Party) and like I said in my long commentary, I don’t like China in my sea. I hate all armies including the Red Army. They are an Army therefore I dislike them. Armies are murderers.
This time I voted for the LDP so that we Okinawans would have a voice in the Japanese government. Also, the LDP had promised that they do not agree with US military. So, again, we had no choice but to trust them. The choice was between two evils. One evil was the DPJ who want to keep the US military. The LDP said that was wrong. We had no choice. The DPJ didn’t put up a representative because they were afraid of us throwing rocks at them. The rest of the parties were the socialist and communists. We didn’t vote for them. I hate it when American Military personnel so easily point of finger at us Okinawans and call us communists because it is not true. It makes me sick to the stomach, just sick and unfair witchhunt. Very typical of US military tactics. Very sick and inhumane.
Please, read Okinawan history and learn how we had once had a happy kingdom with an economy of trade with a variety of nations such as the nations of Asia. That is what I wrote about and do not change nor bend what I said to fit your American military plot.
We Okinawans are democratic!
And do not insult us Okinawans.
I do wish the US withdraw its military presence from Okinawa. We do not want China’s void either.
Daniel
Dear Shuhei:
I am delighted that my post elicited a response from you. I can only state that I understand your desire for American forces to withdraw from “your” island. I also believe US forces should withdraw from East Asia, but for my own selfish ideas of what America should be and not necessarily because of the impact their presence has on Okinawa and Okinawans.
According to your post, Okinawa has been subject to countless invasions as all the major powers of the region have recognized her strategic value. I submit that this is unlikely to change regardless of which power dominates in the region. If you believe that when the US leaves all of Okinawans problems are over I believe you will be disappointed. But since you are insulted by my response to your post, I just thought I would point out some of the statements in your diatribe that prompted me to conclude that you were not entirely without your own prejudices on which regional power Okinawans regard as an ally.
“There is no security on my island. If China wanted to attack they would win the same way the US won back in 1945″
“The irony is USA and Japan fear China. This is why Japan likes to be US’s pet. Japan knows what they did to the Chinese back in WW2 is wrong. They fear retaliation. But Okinawa doesn’t fear China”
“The Chinese were good people and had a great dynasty and King who agreed to help us. The Chinese sent 3000 troops over the sea of China and Ryukyu to help us fight back the Japanese”
“The irony is, China was the only country that really tried to save us in history. To this day, Okinawans like China”
When you stated:
“Personally, I don’t like China military entering my Okinawan Ocean but they have their anger too. They are not aiming at us they are aiming more to Taiwan and US military contractors”
you attempted to disguise your admiration of China by questioning China’s naval expansion in the region, and of course you blamed it all on America and Taiwan, right out of the text from the Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution.
Katy
After reading this article and many of the comments I simply don’t see the need for any US presence in Japan. Japan does have protection forces of its own….honestly the number of troops stationed in Japan which I read to be around 50,000 doesn’t seem to be enough to truly provide a sufficient defense against a country like China. Any deterrence against other asian countries like North Korea can occur via our military base in South Korea. The Guam base is also near any potential flashpoint.
While it may take longer to get to the unstated threat, leaving Okinawa is worth protecting our relations with Japan. Furthermore Japan has the second largest economy in the world, and most likely is a large trading partner with China. In the modern world countries with powerful economies are globally intertwined- while China and Japan may not have the best history the supposed need for defense seems like a stretch when they are economically tied. This leaves north Korea as the only actual security threat- and the best defense on that issue is our closest bases which are in South Korea. Its clear the Japanese people don’t want our supposed protection, and it seems to present no real security advantage for either party.
Christian
It seems pretty simple to me….it’s time for the Americans to realize that they can’t afford to be a self appointed Global Policeman anymore. From what I know your economy isn’t doing too well right now is it? And with a wave of baby boomers set to retire for the next 2 decades I think some back pedaling is in order. You’re not the country you use to be and are now morally and financially bankrupt!!! Asia belongs to Asians so let them figure it out themselves. Your Empire is at an end so decline with grace and humility which unfortunately isn’t America’s strong traits.
Daniel
After reading Shuhei’s lengthy commentary, I can’t believe this person is actually an Okinawan. Maybe he/she is an old diehard of the Japanese Red Army, but to hear this person gush about how Okinawans love China and how Japan and the US are reviled by Okinawans would be insulting if it were not so ridiculous.
Yes the US should withdraw its military presence from the region, but that individual’s implication is that China will somehow fill the void or have some say in plotting Okinawan’s destiny is absurd.
shuhei
What happened to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? The epitome of democracy? Why is it that we Okinawans don’t have human rights? I thought that all humans are free and shouldn’t be enslaved under military colonialism.
We don’t hate average normal everyday Americans, in fact we think Americans are cool. You make great movies and TV shows and great music. We love MTV and Starbucks and we dream of American dreams with nice kind American average people who are friendly and we like apple pie and cheese cake and we like your green lawns. We like equality and liberty. We believe in Democracy.
We just dislike US military and US military colonialism and those criminals who use their power to rape us. (very simple)
I want to make things clear. This is why we study English so we can communicate and understand each other.
If an US soldier or marine, in the US, comes to your American door connected to your average American peaceful family and rapes your American kids and American wives and makes you bend over for US soldier…well, I’m sure you would hate the US soldier or marine, too.
I hope you can see the insanity and double standards that a tiny 3 hour roundtrip island has to go through. The island is as big as from NY Train Station to New Haven, CT roundtrip. 75% of the land is military base for 65 years. We have US military men hanging from a rope from helicopters above our houses. We have planes flying in low altitudes circling above our houses. It was beyond difficult to study for school because it is so loud. The US military run their jeeps and tanks into our schools scaring little children and children with disabilities. Why? Because they do. Teachers have to cancel classes because it is too loud to even think. Okinawa has the lowest rate in education because it is so military loud and difficult to study under military control.
The US military launched depleted uranium missiles into one of our islands (Torishima) and destroyed the nature of the island to the point that there are no trees and sooner or later there will be no island. There is a picture on the net for you to see a missile stuck into a cliff. Do you know the feeling of devastation. This was devastation. It is still devastation.
They launched dangerous UN prohibited scud missiles into our ocean. Okinawa is famous for high cancer rate. No wonder, right? We have noisy planes fly 24 hours above our houses. I am awoken at 4am when I have to really wake up at 6am. We can’t sleep with fighter pilots above us. We have helicopters crashing into my university. When we tried taking pictures the soldiers stole our cellphones and broke them so the crash took time to get to the press. They tried hiding the information. This is when I began wondering …Are these guys really here to protect us? The old Japanese Army didn’t protect us either. How can these men protect us? They are crashing into our university!!!!
I’ve been “locked on” by those helicopters and used as target practice when I woke up and opened my curtain to see the morning sky but instead I saw blue eyes and his thumb was on a red botton on that stick. This is how close he was, I can see his eyes. All I wanted to see was the morning sky. My mother closed the curtain saying we don’t have this simple human right to enjoy morning and life. There have been reports that after WW2 (we thought we were saved by US but reality was different) a three month year old baby was raped and was in critical condition. Many women were raped to the point that in 1946 more than 1002 were victims. The 2 were men. Yes, men were victims of rape by US soldiers. Around 9 months later around 524 mixed children were born but the number is uncertain because rape victims aborted some of the children. They were violated and so were the unborn because they wanted a normal family too, but what is normal when you are faced with injustice? None of these men were caught.
The US military said they would catch but nothing was done. The US military say they are protecting us. But are they? Will they? They can’t protect two little girls in 2008 and in 1995. Both raped. Just a few months ago, a woman was driving home on her bike and US military children put a rope across a street. The poor women was choked into critical condition. She is still hospitalized. The US military children’s parents were watching what their kids did but didn’t stop them, because we don’t matter, right? We are humans to. We have human rights. We have families with dreams we have expectations in longevity. We do matter! We really do matter. We are just like you.
If you put things in equal perspectives than you can understand how we Okinawans feel.
I totally have great respect for average Americans, this is why I want you to know the reality. I believe that the people of United States who have founding fathers that had the same pains as us Okinawans. Who were treated as not mattering would understand that all lives matter. You were a British Colony and some of you were brought to America in chains. To me you matter, I would care if you die. This is why I was furious about 9 11 when you were terrorized. That was unfair. American people should not be targeted. You are good people and innocent from the reality of military brutality. But how can I care for US soldiers who rapes and kills my people. What have the Okinawans done to US soldiers? We have never hurt an US soldier. No Okinawan has ever hurt anybody. But US soldiers do their best to hurt us, Okinawans. This is terrible. To make us feel pain and to make us dislike US soldiers. Why don’t you treat us nice so we can like you? I would like to find something to like about US soldiers but I just can’t find anything yet.
I learned from my English teacher: “Do on to others as if done on to you” Well why don’t the US soldiers be nice to us? We help them when they are lost. We translate and interpret for them. We invite them to parties. Then they rape us. Why do they fly at 4 am? Why do they steal, murder, rape, and run down old ladies on streets? We don’t do that to them. They don’t do that to average Americans? Do they? They do this to Okinawans because we don’t matter. 85% voted for US military out! Japan may ask them to be there but we are under their control as a colony. We have a vote. We voted under democracy that we don’t want them. Only 5% of those who work for US military support US military. The other 10% said they should leave Japan totally. We 85% are sacrificed for the 5% who are Japanese who also think we don’t matter and they are not Okinawan.
A famous poet, Langston Hughs said “Why does everybody else have democracy but me”. This is the same feeling as all Okinawans. When I saw this quote, it brought tears to my eyes because he understands how Okinawans have been oppressed.
I’m sorry that the Japanese people did Pearl Harbor to you. I really am. But I’m Okinawan not Japanese. Okinawans are indigenous peoples of Okinawa like the Tibetans to China and the Irish of Northern Ireland under British control. We are like the American Indians. We are like Kinata Kunte in the drama called ROOTS. We were enslaved by the Japanese and invaded by the Japanese and made a colony by the Japanese. They took our language and our kingdom away from us. They put language plaques around our knecks so that we couldn’t speak our own language and we had to learn Japanese. Our history is exactly the same as Northern Ireland they went through the same tragedy. The Japanese treat us like 2nd citizens. My people are exactly like the Tibetans. But 65 years ago when the US soldiers came we thought they saved us. We thought they would give us freedom and liberty like they promised. But they enslaved us too. In 1972, we fought back to become a part of Japan again, because Japan promised us that they would throw out the US soldiers but they lied to us just like they are lying today. We are now enslaved by two countries.
But why does everybody support Tibetans and treat us Okinawans differently. Is it prejudice? People who say we don’t matter are prejudice but I still believe that the average Americans are very good people…I trust you who can tell your military to go home to US.
We were and are still colonialized by two countries. (US and Japan) Please, help us. We need the average American people who are good at heart, we believe that you are the only ones that can end all this pain. We have faith in the American people to pull out your troops and give us the beauty of true Liberty. Please lobby and rally to save Okinawan people. We believe in democracy too. We would like to actually be in a democratic moment for once in our life time.
We have never done anything to other people, we were victims of WW2 too. Japanese soldiers mistreated us too. Our history about WW2 was taken away too. We are just trying to live our normal peaceful lives. I hope that someday the American people can see our joy when we are free. We would love to share happiness with you so we can forgive and forget and one day I can say that I was wrong about the US military and they did save us in the end. Unfortunately, I cannot now. Please, help us and tell us Democracy is for everyone. We don’t want to be slaves. We want to be free. Liberty is a great word.
I do not blame innocent ordinary Americans because they don’t even know where Okinawa is. They don’t have that knowledge that the dishonest military agenda US does totalitarianism and military colonialism all over the world with their military bases and weapons. Germany is fighting back too, they also want the US bases out. This means somebody else agree with Okinawans.
The military agenda US has been destroying democratic elected governments in South America and Iraq and many other weak and poor countries. It is basically that movie “Avatar”. That movie was fiction but the messege was to the point of reality. This was suprizing and showed me at least the director was willing to see and say that the US military is bad. That is what is happening today all over the world by US military agenda officials. They hurt to economically gain.
The military agenda US has a very long history of not just imposing but also forcing through violent measures their military action upon other tiny nations and also indigenous nations who are supposed to be protected by the useless UN. The military agenda US only wants to protect Tibet because the military agenda US is against China. Therefore, economically gaining by providing jobs in America. Thus, there are average Americans who economically gain from other people’s deaths. Those people are not innocent but have blood on their hands. I do consider those people as military agenda US officials.
The US and the UN do not protect indigenous Okinawans because Japan hates our indigenousness and the US knows that the Japanese do not see us as humans therefore enslave us through the Japanese government control. It is very sick. There is no democracy of life, liberty , and the pursue of happiness in this domestic violence of Okinawa. Also, in the world.
I don’t think America as a whole is innocent but I do think the American ordinary people are ignorant in what democracy is really about. I am just hoping this. I could be wrong. But I am praying that they are just ignorant because it’s hard to fathom that they could be this rotten. This is also why I am separating average ordinary Americans with military agenda US officials. I do not blame all Americans but I do blame the US military and those officials under the influence of US military agenda.
The US military agenda officials are nasty but the average citizens are so brainwashed that they would listen to a Kennedy remark “Don’t ask what the country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” which really meant sacrifice your lives to the US government during the Vietnam War. The ignorance was that many innocent ordinary Americans do die for their country. This is meek. This is ridiculous because they basically are listening to their own propaganda to die for their country without asking why. This is military agenda murder. The process is the same as the old Japanese soldiers kamikaze pilots who died for Japan without asking why. Japan murdered ordinary Japanese and Okinawan. America murders ordinary Americans and American Indians. It is the same domestic violence.
The US military agenda kills their own American ordinary people who are also in away indigenous from the offcials who are safe and warm in their rich homes. They don’t sacrifice their sons. They sacrifice other people’s sons.
This sacrifice system has got to end. It really is sick and crazy. Today in the news, US military soldier casualty is at it’s peak. This is sick. The poor dying for an education. Education should be a gift for progress and not murder.
The USA military agenda in Asia has been presented to the Japanese, since the end of WW2. Like I said before you have to separate us indigenous Okinawans from Japan. Japan doesn’t like us indigenous Okinawans that is why they allow the abuse. Japan is only interested in her own security. Japan is not interested in Okinawan security. Japan is a “US pet” under a fake ‘equal partnership’ so valued by the USA . What happened in WW2 and my family has been a victim for 65 years, our land was taken away from us, we were killed by both Japanese soldiers and US soldiers who surrounded Okinawa which is an island. As you can see, we have no security. We have US military bases on our island just like the old Japanese soldiers had bases on our island. The Japanese didn’t protect us, they killed us. The US has bases on our island, they don’t protect us, they rape us and kill us. It is exactly the same for 65 years. There is no security on my island. If China wanted to attack they would win the same way the US won back in 1945. We Okinawans are still sitting ducks. There is no way to be protected and the Okinawan people know this reality. But the Okinawan people would rather be left alone than deal with the violence by both governments. Basically, we are just sick and tired of war. We just want to be left alone.
The irony is USA and Japan fear China. This is why Japan likes to be US’s pet. Japan knows what they did to the Chinese back in WW2 is wrong. They fear retaliation. But Okinawa doesn’t fear China.
Do you know why?
The reason is when Okinawa used to be an independent country called Ryukyu back 300 years ago. We had our own Kingdom. We were happy. A Ryukyuan delegate, Makishi Chouchu, heard that the Japanese were going to take over our kingdom, and he went to China to ask for military help. The Chinese were good people and had a great dynasty and King who agreed to help us. The Chinese sent 3000 troops over the sea of China and Ryukyu to help us fight back the Japanese. Unfortunately, a huge typhoon killed the Chinese troops and Ryukyu (which means the Dragon’s sphere) was taken over by the Japanese who changed our country name to Okinawa (which means “thrown away rope”.) The irony is, China was the only country that really tried to save us in history. To this day, Okinawans like China.
Isn’t this ironic, don’t you think.
We, Okinawans have been forced to protect the people of Japan and yet we are not protected at all by the Japanese people which is quite double standard. Always, it crosses my mind. That word “Independence” and revival of our Ryukyu Kingdom sounds so sweet. I have tears just thinking about this Freedom. We deserve freedom. But the problem is deeper. Our poverty comes from the bases and from the fact we have no industry that Japan & US has made sure we would never have because the bases take up our land mass.
The Japanese government made a new University on our land called OIST (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology) which sounds good but in reality it is a university not for Okinawans but for Americans, Europeans, and Japanese researchers. The courses are in English. Also, not one head Professor is Okinawan. The head professors are either American, European, or Japanese researchers. Please, look at the biographies.
http://www.oist.jp/ja/research/pisunit/bios.html
The Dean of Ryukyu University, who is Japanese, lowered the amount of English courses, and fired English teachers. He also banned majors and minors concerning English language and language themselves thus in Ryukyu University students cannot learn English and other languages. Thus, of course, Okinawans who are alumni of Ryukyu University cannot get their higher Education in OIST. Nor can they get an education abroad because of this lack of language education. Please look at this adjunct teacher union homepage about the educational injustice of the Dean of Ryukyu University. May I remind you that the Dean is not from my island. He is Japanese.
http://hjkunion.exblog.jp/9470989/
If we want to get a PhD we must apply in mainland Japan, away from Okinawa island. Again, because their are no industries many of those who do have higher education cannot easily return back to Okinawa to assist the society financially. I hope you understand the layout and the colonialism that has gone through. It is hard for me to explain it. But we Okinawans are caught in a cage that is planned by the American military and Japanese government. By the way, the UN also has a flag right next to US flag and Japanese flag that flows in the wind when I pass by the bases that I cannot enter.
Yes, we are educationally controlled too.
Okinawa is a part of Japan, therefore, it is Japan’s responsibility to treat Okinawa like any other person in Japan.
Japan, US military, and UN troops should not be ignoring all the Okinawan culturual, language differences, forcing us with US bases, ignoring all the rapes of girls and boys, ignoring murders by US military, the UN ignoring our screams and UN cooperation with US military, and past WW2 history murder ,and ignoring the democratic vote and voice of Okinawa shouldn’t be happening at all under democracy.
This is why we need the innocent people of the world to just come out and say that both the Japanese government and it’s alliances to the US military are not democratic nor are Japan and the US are not a democratic nation, if this inequality is continued to be ignored.
Japan colonized us. The US military colonized us. What is worse, the UN ignored us too for 65 years. Japan, US military, and the UN do have a responsibility for our equality, liberty, and fraternity. It is also the Japanese responsiblity to provide us with life, liberty, and the pursue of happiness under the Japanese Constitution. It is also the US government responsibility to provide us with what they preach. The UN should be stomping on the inhumaneness of the US military and the Japanese government. It is the UN’s responsiblity to provide us with this justice. Please look at this US military article called “Star and Stripes” article about the Okinawans asking for help: (Okinawans ask UN to check US bases but no follow up)
http://www.stripes.com/news/okinawa-group-asks-u-n-to-inspect-u-s-bases-1.2884
Also, please look at this UN Document on Human rights on Okinawa: The UN knew ever since 1988: But nothing was done.
http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/0/5ff8d2405c015506c1256aa4002c8fe7?Opendocument
It is basically our Constitutional right that is at breach. The offenders are both the US military or Defence Department and the Japanese government. But also the UN for allowing US military crimes to happen.
The question is not that we should go independent but we should have the equal rights in the first place. The UN should have been pushing more harder on both Japan and US military but failed to do so. May be because they have a UN flag in Kadena Airbase? I don’t know?
We just want our Constitutional right of equality. We deserve that service under democracy we bled our (at least 65 years, actually 300 years) taxes, our health care, welfare, and the sympathy budget (which is the money that is automatically taken out of our paychecks and provided by the Japanese government to the US Forces Stationed in Japan that pays for US military’s salaries and US military crime victims for what is called “shut up money”). Yes, the victims of US military crimes pay for their own compensation because the US doesn’t pay anything to Japanese victims nor Okinawa victims nor any cultural victims. Please refer to the following article about a European victim in Japan. She had to pay for her own rape kit with her own taxes.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090303zg.html
We Okinawans want justice. The victim above wants justice too. I’m sure every US military victims want justice. This is why I want all nations to know what we have gone through. This is a world wide problem with every US base in this world. The people of the world, we need your help. We need you to know what is going on.
To see the truth of the USA millitary and Okinawa situation is very difficult because there is a press control or information control in a variety of countries that is why people must see different sides to see the whole picture.
History is recorded by the powerful and the normal people in the history never appear in the history books unless of course the person does something really bad or was rewritten and rerecorded to fit the administrative purposes. A good example would be “Mary of Magdela” … that King James did some serious rewriting and destroyed poor Mary’s reputation. For centuries people believed that Mary of Magdela was a fallen woman but in fact she may have been a pure nice little girl. But King James purpose was to control women thus his way was to destroy Mary. There are nasty people and victims of the nastyness. I’m sure if Mary of Magdela were around today, she would be very angry and sue the King. That would be a court case I would love to see. (By the way I’m not Christian)
There are more stories to be told from Okinawa, and many more voices to be heard and the mayor of Ginowan is now suing the Japanese government for forcing the bases on Okinawa for 65 years as “Uncontitutional”.
As for China, the US Military (Raytheon which is a missile selling notorious US contractor) has been selling missiles to China and Taiwan.
http://www.infowars.com/china-proposes-sanctions-over-lockheed-raytheon-arms-sales-to-taiwan/
China is very angry with the US for selling missiles to Taiwan. Which is understandable from both sides of China and Taiwan arguments. Taiwan wants to be independent thus need the US military assistance. China doesn’t like missile pointed at them neither do they like a conniving US military selling missile to China then causing problems with relations with Taiwan by also selling missiles to Taiwan.
I hope you can understand this immoralness of US Military Conniving Money Making Murdering Contractors such as Raytheon. US Military is not trying to contain Chinese aggression but cause it between Taiwan. Okinawa is an island caught between the game of the US Military, China, and victims like Taiwan which is in the same situation as Okinawa.
Personally, I don’t like China military entering my Okinawan Ocean but they have their anger too. They are not aiming at us they are aiming more to Taiwan and US military contractors. Thus US military bases should be more on Taiwan. But I feel sorry for Taiwan too. Thus Guam is a better location to put the US Military on US land. US Military should be on US land. That is where they belong.
To make it easier for you to understand. Japan has a superiority complex toward other Asian nations that they colonized. Thus their are numerous organizations in Japan whom are political and who have prejudice and racist concepts against other Asians. For instance, the LDP (Liberal Democratic Party of Japan who controlled Japan for 65 years) is named “Liberal” but it is “Conservative” or extreme right wing. The right wing organizations in Japan are famous for their bigot and prejudice and racist remarks against foreigners and Asians including Korea (which is another colonial victim of Japan). The right wing groups in Japan are kind of like the National Front of Europe. They are extreme nationalists. It is very clear when you can see the lie in the party’s name LDP but they are Neo-con or Conservative just like the previous President of US, Bush. Bush was not a liberal neither are the LDP.
I hope you can understand this. This is why Okinawa has been treated like secondary citizens because we are considered as Asians that were colonialized.
The next irony is that the CIA has been funding the right wing groups (LDP) in Japan for 65 years.
We Okinawans want justice. We want freedom under the Constitution which is our human right for life, liberty, and the pursue of happiness.
Okinawans just want democracy and equality.
Kiviuq
Shuhei, I may not be from Okinawa, but I very much understand the situation. The actions of America sickens me. As an aboriginal in Canada, I know what it’s like to be treated like a second class citizen by your own government.
I’m not delusional enough to think that Japan can just expel all the military bases over the weekend, but reducing the troops over time should be one of the governments top priorities. I read that article you posted about the European rape victim and it made me furious. Not only is the Japanese government turning a blind eye to the American military’s crimes, but it’s actually helping cover them up too, at the behest of the American government.
Nothing good is going to come from the prolonged US military presence in Okinawa and Japan. If Japan wants to improve it’s relations with China (which it does, and for good reason), then they’re going to need to start becoming more independent in terms of defense. China sees the vast amount of US forces stationed in Japan (and Korea as well) as a big gun pointed at their face that America can pull if it feels like China steps too much out of line.
I know there’s a lot of bad blood between Japan and China, but I really doubt China wants to physically hurt Japan. And even if it did, do you really think that the few thousand American soldiers would really stand much of a chance against China’s 200000000+ man army and nuclear weapons anyway? And as someone said, the US doesn’t need to have bases in Japan in order to have an alliance with them. I live in Canada. We’re allies with the US but that doesn’t mean we need their tanks and planes roaming freely in our borders.
America obviously doesn’t want to give up these bases easily because they benefit from them more than Japan. It gives them places for military training and as I’ve said allows them to intimidate China. But yet, Japan pays America for this.
I had high hopes for Hatoyama, but in the end he was just a big disappointment and folded to the US easily. Naoto Kan has said he wants the JSDF to take a more prominent role in the world. Hopefully this will mean a reduction in US military presence in all of Japan.
Daniel
It is time for the US to scale back its presence in East Asia. Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are modern nations and all have an advanced self defense apparatus to deter any aggression from potential enemies. The US military presence in the region creates unnecessary tension and is more damaging to US relations with its allies than the supposed threat from China or North Korea. Given the fact that there is a US military presence in over 130 nations worldwide with the huge financial burden this places on American taxpayers as well as “friendly” governments, and with the US waging an almost decade long open-ended War Against Terror, it gets harder and harder to convince the world and ourselves that we are not creating and defending an American Empire. Howzabout we bring our troops back home and beat their swords into plowshares and become a manufacturing country again?
pharmacy tech
Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!
Smith
Japanese opposition to the bases is only because of two things, which is rudeness by US soldiers(rapes) and a huge portion of the island being occupied by the bases. Ending all bases in okinawa is just a dream from nationalists but these two things fuel them. I’m suprised they didn’t considered moving bases to areas isolated from the local population in the first place to reduce such tension.
P.S. The japanese government pays for 75% for the expenses of these military installations, AND these bases account for less then five percent of okinawa’s economy.
Magnus T.M.
3 points:
1. It seems the Americans want to defend Japan more badly than the Japanese do. You yanks need a reality check.
2. America does not actually need a military base physically on Japan to have a security pact with Japan. Guam isn’t that far away.
3. Japan’s navy is the strongest in Asia after the USN herself.
Loic
I am sure there are many Koreans grateful for the US-led intervention in the 1950s. As for the other conflicts, there is legitimate questioning into their causes.
But in the end of the day, we have to consider that there is no indigenous military in the Pacific that can even pretend to be a counterweight to the Chinese presence. Even Japan has had skirmishes with armed Chinese nautical survey vessels. Without the US presence, who would check China’s increasingly belligerent territorial claims on the high seas? There are proponents in the Chinese military that seek “permanent observer” status to the Arctic Circle Treaty and affirm that China has a right to territory it’s country doesn’t even border. Beyond that we have some military sponsored attempt to rewrite Korea as part of Chinese Manchuria and the sad fate of Tibet looming over it all. US brand imperialism as resulted in an independent Philippines, Japan, and South Korea among others. It can’t be all that bad can it?
Dr Michael Vaughan
The United States’ military commanders need a stronger argument than tactical convenience to justify the continued presence of unwelcome American bases on sovereign Japanese soil. The US Seventh Fleet, with its aircraft carriers, is more than capable of meeting any aggressive threat in Northeast Asia, should one arise. One needs to ask, against whom are the bases to be directed? China, although building up its military capacity, is not a revisionist state but a status quo state, with too much to lose from an unlikely war with Japan. North Korea is a far more dangerous proposition, it must be admitted, but it, too, risks annihilation in the event of open hostilities. It appears that, after 50 years, it is time for the US to quietly leave Okinawa as it has left other allies such as the Philippines and Germany.
Mitra
Self-serving drivel from the American foreign policy establishment. If I met the author, I would like to ask him a simple question. If the Japanense believed that they needed the US military base in Okinawa as much as the Americans, why would this be such an emotive issue in Japan? It reminds me of what a commentator said about the “North Korean crisis” during the previous Bush administration. The sense of crisis is greater the farther you move away from the Korean peninsula! And you get a full blown crisis by the time you get to Washington D.C! I have every reason to believe that the country which really objects to the military base being removed from Okinawa is NOT South Korea, Japan or Taiwan- it is the United States of America! Take that, Mr Axe!
Mladen Matosevic
Article gives good explanation of importance of Air Base. However, it does not explain why is not possible to reduce US ground forces. Okinawa is way too far to be at high risk of invasion and Japan is more then capable to provide coastal defense of the island. Simmering conflict is about large contingent of Marines, not Air Force. Is it necessary that Japanese start asking themselves are they still US occupied before US acts and reduces pressure to local population by moving some ground forces away?
Wataru Tenga
This article made me sad and angry. The author seems to assume the current order, with the US having bases all over the world more than 60 years after WWII, is the natural order of things, and that the bases are here for Japan’s own good. But what,actually, has the US done with those bases? It has used them to launch highly destructive wars in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, painting stark pictures of enemies that turned out to be rather less a threat than they were made out to be. Now it has its eyes on Iran, even as it tries to depict North Korea and China as reasons to keep the bases in Okinawa, and as threats the marines are supposed to somehow protect us from.
It’s long past time that the US remove its military presence from Japan. If Japan feels we are somehow in danger from our neighbors, let us deal with that danger in our own way. The US is running a con game in order to use Japan as nothing more than a stepping stone for ventures in other parts of the world.
Robert L. Glover
What Mr. Tenga fails to understand is that the U.S. provides global security and access to the commons that are not now being matched by any other world power – not China, Russia, India, et. al. Access to the global commons has been a benefit of a strong U.S. presence across the world – a presence that Japan has been able to exploit successfully over the past six decades. Additionally, the economic impact of losing U.S. forces from Okinawa would be devastating, to say the least, for the Okinawan community at-large. The reality of the situation is that, even in today’s situation, a strong U.S. presence provides an unmatched blanket of security against the threat of hostilities. Not all situations can be diplomatically resolved – regardless of Mr. Tenga’s perspective. How does Mr. Tenga propose that Japan, “deal with that danger” in it’s own way? I would offer that pulling U.S. forces from the bases in Okinawa would not allow the Japanese government to work it out their own way. Mr. Tenga, you’re just plain wrong to assume that moving U.S. forces out of Okinawa and ‘wishing away’ a potential threat or threats is the solution. You may not agree with the policy of a U.S. presence, but don’t disregard the fruits of that presence.
Matt
Wataru Tenga,
Exactly which highly destructive war did the US launch in Korea? The Korean war was started after North Korea invaded the south, not after the US invaded the north.
If US forces do depart Japanese soil, how do you suppose that the region will be able to deal with growing Chinese military assertivness? Japan benefits by the US presence in strategic and in economic terms. Without the base, the Japanese would still expect to fall under the strategic umbrella provided by the US, surely then its fair that they bear some of the burden?
Regards,