relocation

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Japan-U.S. defense ministers disregard public concerns
-Akahata editorial (gist)

The Japan-U.S. defense ministers held talks in Washington on January 17 local time and agreed on the need to accelerate the effort to finalize by the end of March the plan of realignment of U.S. forces in Japan.

Expressing hope for making a success of the plan, Japan's Defense Agency Director General Nukaga Fukushiro proposed concluding a new bilateral agreement defining the globalization of the Japan-U.S. alliance replacing the 1996 Japan-U.S. Joint Declaration on Security.

The defense talks completely disregarded public concern for peace in pushing ahead with the plan to drastically increase the interventionist role of the Japan-U.S. military alliance.

An overwhelming majority of municipalities and residents of regions where U.S. and SDF bases are located are opposing the plan. More than 100 local government heads and assemblies have expressed or adopted resolutions against the plan. Only Tokyo Metropolitan Governor Ishihara Shintaro supports it.

If the present realignment plan is implemented, a new U.S. air base in Nago City, Okinawa will cause unbearable noise and pose the danger of aircraft crashes. The deployment of a new command to U.S. Army Camp Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture will drastically increase its operational capabilities and perpetuate the presence. The redeployment of U.S. carrier-based aircraft units to the U.S. Marine Corps Iwakuni Air Station in Yamaguchi Prefecture will cause unbearable pain to residents because they carry out touch-and-goes (so- called 'night landing practices').

Serious crimes have been committed recently by U.S. Navy sailors, including a hit-and-run injuring elementary school students in Hachioji City, western Tokyo, and a murder of woman in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa. Wherever U.S. military personnel are deployed, accidents and crimes happen.

Serious aircraft accidents have occurred. In August 2004, a large transport helicopter from the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station crashed at a university in Okinawa, and in January this year, a U.S. F-15 fighter from the U.S. Kadena Air Base crashed into the sea near Okinawa. Who can guarantee that there will be no accident of U.S. military aircraft while flying on training between U.S. bases and Self-Defense Forces bases?

U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Richard Lawless stressed that the primary purpose of the U.S. military realignment in Japan is to increase joint exercises between the two forces and their bilateral operational capabilities.

Nukaga reportedly said on January 15 that the success of the plan of U.S. military transformation requires the U.S. to make some concession to Japan. However, he stated that the Japanese government refuses to review the plan to construct a new U.S. air base in Okinawa. Calling for a "concession" while regarding the "interim report" (October 2005) as an unchangeable premise will mean nothing for the U.S.

The plan to realign U.S. bases in Japan cannot be accepted. Let us increase public voices so that the plan will be eliminated.
- Akahata, January 20, 2006