Okinawa's assembly adopts resolution calling for halt to ratifying Guam Agreement

Japan Press Weekly

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Okinawa's assembly adopts resolution calling for halt to ratifying Guam Agreement

Okinawa's legislature is urging the prime minister and foreign ministers to give up on the planned ratification of the agreement signed in February with the United States regarding the relocation to Guam of a part of the U.S. Marines stationed in Okinawa.

On March 25, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly adopted a resolution expressing opposition to the plan to construct a state-of-the-art air base in the Henoko district of Nago City.

This is the second resolution of this kind to be adopted by the prefectural assembly, the first being in July last year.

The latest resolution points out that the relocation of a part of the U.S. Marine Corps to Guam is part and parcel of the closing of the USMC Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City and the construction of a new base in Nago and Japan's payment of the costs for the USMC Guam relocation, which is a an integral part of the U.S. military realignment in Japan.

If the Guam Agreement is ratified, it will lead to imposing on Okinawans unbearable burdens for many more years, states the resolution.

"Instead of ratifying the agreement, the government should take urgent measures to drastically reduce Okinawa's burden of U.S. military bases," it said.

Speaking in support of the resolution, Japanese Communist Party member of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly Maeda Masaaki stated, "It is unjustifiable for Japan, under the agreement, to pay the costs for the construction of military facilities on U.S. territory. Isn't this part of the U.S. policy of drastically integrating and realigning military capabilities on Guam?"

"It is impermissible to spend Japan's tax money to support U.S. global military strategy," he added.

The Guam Agreement, signed by Japanese Foreign Minister Nakasone Hirofumi and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on February 17, reconfirmed that Japan will pay 60 percent (or about $6.1 billion) of the costs for the relocation of Okinawa-based U.S. Marines to Guam, including a direct payment by the Japanese government ($2.8 billion). The agreement that concerns the huge misuse of tax money has been submitted to the Diet for ratification.

- Akahata, March 26, 2009