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No reduction expected in Okinawa's burden of U.S. bases: Japan-U.S. 'roadmap'

Foreign Minister Aso Taro stated, "(N)ow we have a concrete roadmap to reduce burdens on Okinawa," suggesting that the Japanese government is increasing moves toward a "thorough implementation" of the "United States-Japan Roadmap for Realignment Implementation" for U.S. forces in Japan.

Will the Okinawans' burden really be reduced?

According to the roadmap, the U.S. Marine Corps will have a new air base on the shoreline of U.S. Camp Schwab in Nago City as a Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF) with two 1,800-meter runways and "support facilities," using landfill construction methods.

The U.S. needs the 1,800-meter runways assuming that MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft, the state-of-the-art U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, will be deployed to the new base. How can this help reduce burdens? It's the construction of an advanced, forward deployment air base.

On April 7, the Nago City government and four other nearby local governments agreed to accept the new air base plan. Soon, they faced strong opposition from residents who are concerned about noise pollution and dangers of aircraft crashes.

Nago Mayor Shimabukuro Yoshikazu had to state that he did not agree with the government as regards the length of runways, expressing "deep regret" over this.

The "roadmap" states, "The USG does not have a plan to operate fighter aircraft from this facility." However, U.S. Marine Corps in the Futenma Air Facility have carried out landing and take-off training with carrier aircraft. Therefore, there is no guarantee that U.S. fighters from other sites will not use the new air base.

The "roadmap" states, "Approximately 8,000 III (Third) Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) personnel and their approximately 9,000 dependents will relocate from Okinawa to Guam by 2014," and "Units to relocate will include: III MEF Command Element (in Camp Courtney), 3d Marine Division Headquarters (ibid), and headquarters of 3d Marine Logistics Group (in Makiminato Service Area), 1st Marine Air Wing (in Camp Zukeran), and 12th Marine Regiment (in Camp Hansen)."

All these units do not include the combat forces that cause much harm in Okinawa, such as noise pollution, accidents, crimes, and environmental destruction.

The Third Marine Expeditionary Brigade Command will also remain in Okinawa to replace the III MEF Command. Changes in U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa will be just in the name of units and their composition. Also, the "U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) forces remaining on Okinawa will consist of Marine Air-Ground Task Force elements, such as command, ground, aviation, and combat service support, as well as a base support capability."

If Okinawa-based Marines relocate to Guam, the U.S.M.C. on these two islands will be integrated further by high-speed transport vessels supplied by Japan. Thus the U.S.M.C. redeployment from Okinawa to Guam will not ease Okinawans' burdens but will strengthen the Marine Corps base in Guam (and integration between the two islands' facilities).

The "roadmap" also states, "In this plan, total or partial return" of the following "six candidate facilities," such as Camp Courtney, Camp Hansen, MCAS Futenma, Camp Zukeran, and Makiminato Service Area, will be examined, but this is a copy of the 1996 Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO) agreement, which turned into a complete failure due to strong opposition from Okinawan people.

Stating, "Specifically, consolidation and land returns south of Kadena depend on completing the relocation of III MEF personnel and dependents from Okinawa to Guam," the agreement calls for all six bases to be relocated within Okinawa without offering an exact date of their return, which is an outright deception.

At present in Okinawa, no base is co-used by the U.S. and the Japanese Self-Defense forces. However, the "roadmap" states, "Camp Hansen will be used for Ground SDF training." This shows that Japan and the United States want to integrate their forces, especially in Okinawa, as part of the foundation of the ongoing realignment of U.S. forces in Japan.

Based on the "roadmap", Japanese and U.S. forces are to realize a full-time deployment of the SDF to Camp Hansen with improved facilities.

The new agreement stipulates that the "Air SDF will use Kadena Air Base for bilateral training with U.S. forces, taking into account noise impacts on local communities," while calling for U.S. aircraft to be relocated to Japanese exercise fields in mainland Japan. How can noise pollution near the U.S. Kadena Air Base be reduced?

Local governments concerned lost no time in voicing their opposition to the planned co-use of Camp Hansen and Kadena air base by the two forces.
- Akahata, May 8, 2006