Japan pays 70% of utilities for U.S. forces in Okinawa

Japan Press Weekly

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

Japan pays 70% of utilities for U.S. forces in Okinawa

Japan pays 70 percent of utility bills for the U.S. forces stationed in Okinawa. This outrageous fact was revealed by an Okinawa Prefectural Government official in response to a question raised by Japanese Communist Party representative Toguchi Osamu at the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly.

The prefectural government estimates that Japan paid nearly 10 billion yen, which is about 71 percent of about 13.8 billion yen for electric bills in FY 2007 and water and sewage bills in FY 2008.

Toguchi said, "The government spends nearly 10 billion yen of tax money under the name of the 'sympathy budget', while the elderly have to bear the increasing financial burden of medical services that used to be free. Free medical services for the elderly can be achieved by doing away with the 'sympathy budget'."

A senior official replied, "The government pays the cost for the stationing of the U.S. forces in Japan under the name of the 'sympathy budget' because they are playing a role in the Japan's national security. The use of tax revenues to pay the cost of the U.S. forces in Japan should be discussed in the Diet."

- Akahata, June 28, 2009