March 26, 2009
Although Japan has committed itself to the United States to pay the cost for the relocation of a part of U.S. Marine Corps to Guam using Japanese tax money, the document, which can be regarded as the Japanese government’s master plan for the project, does not contain an itemized inventory of costs.
The Defense Ministry on March 25 submitted to the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee its report on the plans to build infrastructure for the U.S. military base on Guam in preparation for the relocation of a part of the U.S. Marine Corps from Okinawa.
The ministry would not have made the document available to the Diet if Japanese Communist Party representative Kasai Akira had not requested it.
Although Japan has committed itself to the United States to pay the cost for this Guam base project using Japanese tax money, the document, which can be regarded as the Japanese government’s master plan for the project, does not contain an itemized inventory of costs.
The 200-page Japanese plan is based on the U.S. draft Guam Joint Military Master Plan released in April 2008. It is a kind of “master plan” regarding Japan’s support for the relocation of a part of the U.S. Marine Corps personnel and dependents from Okinawa to Guam.
The Defense Ministry commissioned Kume Sekkei, an “international multidisciplinary architectural and engineering firm,” to produce the “master plan”.
The Defense Ministry “master plan” includes building infrastructure for the Naval Communication Station at Finegayan, Andersen Air Force Base, and Apra Harbor Naval Complex, as well as main roads and gates of the base.
Work on the infrastructure construction will start in 2010.
After 2011, building of infrastructure will begin for housing units for U.S. military personnel and their families. The construction of main roads, school buildings, and the building of the command center is also expected.
More than 50 pages are devoted to air conditioning, landscaping, interiors, and lightning. The report estimates that about 50,000 workers will be needed from abroad.
The ministry would not have made the document available to the Diet if Japanese Communist Party representative Kasai Akira had not requested it.
Although Japan has committed itself to the United States to pay the cost for this Guam base project using Japanese tax money, the document, which can be regarded as the Japanese government’s master plan for the project, does not contain an itemized inventory of costs.
The 200-page Japanese plan is based on the U.S. draft Guam Joint Military Master Plan released in April 2008. It is a kind of “master plan” regarding Japan’s support for the relocation of a part of the U.S. Marine Corps personnel and dependents from Okinawa to Guam.
The Defense Ministry commissioned Kume Sekkei, an “international multidisciplinary architectural and engineering firm,” to produce the “master plan”.
The Defense Ministry “master plan” includes building infrastructure for the Naval Communication Station at Finegayan, Andersen Air Force Base, and Apra Harbor Naval Complex, as well as main roads and gates of the base.
Work on the infrastructure construction will start in 2010.
After 2011, building of infrastructure will begin for housing units for U.S. military personnel and their families. The construction of main roads, school buildings, and the building of the command center is also expected.
More than 50 pages are devoted to air conditioning, landscaping, interiors, and lightning. The report estimates that about 50,000 workers will be needed from abroad.
