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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Japanese people did not agree to pay for moving U.S. Marines to Guam

Unconvincing bill

The government has explained nothing to the public about the Japanese people having to shoulder 500 billion yen (excluding loans) for relocating the U.S. Marine Corps from Okinawa to Guam and more than 2 trillion yen for all U.S. military realignments. To date, the Japan-U.S. talks on U.S. military relocation have not been made public, and the latest "agreement" was also made behind closed doors. The "agreement" is by no means between the United States and the Japanese people.

The 10.27 billion dollars that the United States says is necessary for relocating U.S. Marines to Guam is an amount which "Japan cannot verify" (a Defense Agency official). It is highly possible that the United States will further increase the amount in the future.

The 59 percent share of burden was imposed on Japan as a result of Japan succumbing to U.S. requests. Japan was initially asked to pay 30 percent of the cost.

The "loan" portion will be subject to repayment in 50 years without interest. There is no guarantee that the fund will be repaid by the United States. Many examples show that the United States did not pay judicial compensation for crimes committed by U.S. military personnel, with the Japanese government paying instead.

No legal basis

Since FY 1979, Japan has paid more than 2 trillion yen for the construction of facilities inside U.S. military bases in Japan from Japan's "sympathy" budget for the stationing of U.S. forces in Japan. This payment alone makes Japan an extraordinary payer among all U.S. allies.

Japan's payment from the "sympathy" budget has no legal basis under the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, and it has therefore been made by a stretched interpretation of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).

However, there is no precedent for having Japan or any other country use money from the government coffer to pay for building a military base in Guam, which is U.S. territory. The Japanese government has repeatedly acknowledged that the payment lacks legal basis. Foreign Ministry North American Affairs Bureau Director Kawai Chikao stated, "SOFA is not applicable."

Strengthening Marine Corps

Defense Agency Director-General Nukaga Fukushiro has repeated the explanation that Japan's payment for the Guam relocation helps reduce burdens on Okinawa.

However, the October 2005 interim report on U.S. military "transformation and realignment" stated that the relocation to Guam is part of measures to strengthen U.S. "Marine Corps crisis response capabilities." The U.S. realignment plan aims to make Guam a new foothold for the U.S. Marine Corps by relocating troops from Okinawa, and building large training and port facilities. Personnel to be relocated to Guam will be mainly of the command staff, and combat units will remain in Okinawa.

It is also highly probable that the number of personnel to be relocated, 8,000 Marines and 9,000 family members, is an overestimate.

The plan to construct a new state-of-the-art military base with V-shaped runways on the shoreline of Nago City clearly shows that the United States is imposing additional burdens on Okinawa.
- Akahata, April 25, 2006