April 28, 2012
Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Koike Akira on April 27 published the following statement in regard to the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee’s joint statement pertaining to the review of the U.S. forces realignment plan:
The Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee on April 27 released a joint statement regarding a new bilateral agreement on the planned realignment of the U.S. forces in Japan which include a new U.S. base construction in Okinawa and a transfer of the U.S. Marine Corps personnel to Guam. In defiance of Okinawan opposition to the plan to construct a new U.S. base at Henoko as a replacement for the U.S. Futenma base, in the statement, the two governments stick to the plan, claiming that it “remains the only viable solution that has been identified to date.” The JCP condemns the two governments for intending to ignore the Okinawan people’s consensus to reject the new base construction.
Regarding the return of bases and lands in southern Okinawa including the U.S. Kadena base, five facilities and areas will be subdivided into 13 areas and both governments will jointly arrange a return schedule by the end of the year. In the schedule, the 13 areas will be sorted into three groups; a group eligible for immediate return; a group eligible for return after alternative facilities in Okinawa are provided; and a group eligible for return after U.S. Marine Corps forces relocate to Guam. However, the statement provides no deadline for return. There is no guarantee of return.
The Japanese and the U.S. government for more than 40 years have prolonged the discussion on this issue. However, the return is yet to achieved. The reason for this is that base relocation within Okinawa is raised as a condition and that the return is linked to the transfer of the U.S. Marine Corps to Guam. The new agreement takes the same position. It is highly likely that the return plan will end in failure.
What is particularly serious is that the agreement specifies “refurbishment projects” at the Futenma base and continuation of “host nation support”. Large-scale “refurbishment projects” will lead to perpetuating the base into the indefinite future. In addition to the intolerable noise and the danger of crashes, the Futenma base will introduce another danger as MV-22 Osprey aircraft, which have been involved in frequent accidents, will be deployed to the base. The perpetuation of the base, which is often described as the most dangerous in the world for nearby residents, will do nothing to eliminate the danger threatening Okinawan people’s lives, safety, and livelihoods. It is impermissible to use taxpayer money for such a purpose.
Japan is considering using taxpayer money not only to share the cost of “refurbishment projects” at the Futenma base but also to cooperate in “developing training areas in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as shared-use facilities” by U.S. forces and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces. Japanese people’s share of the construction cost for a U.S. military base in U.S. territory has been under criticism as unreasonable, without parallel in history and in the world. It is absolutely irrational to force Japanese people to shoulder additional burdens as the U.S. military base is strengthened. The promotion of JSDF-U.S. integrated operations abroad under “bilateral dynamic defense cooperation” must also be condemned.
The Japanese Communist Party urgently demands that the Japan-U.S. agreement sticking to the construction of a new base and promoting Japan-U.S. military integration abroad be withdrawn. The JCP works together with concerned citizens to abrogate the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and establish a base-free Okinawa and Japan.
The Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee on April 27 released a joint statement regarding a new bilateral agreement on the planned realignment of the U.S. forces in Japan which include a new U.S. base construction in Okinawa and a transfer of the U.S. Marine Corps personnel to Guam. In defiance of Okinawan opposition to the plan to construct a new U.S. base at Henoko as a replacement for the U.S. Futenma base, in the statement, the two governments stick to the plan, claiming that it “remains the only viable solution that has been identified to date.” The JCP condemns the two governments for intending to ignore the Okinawan people’s consensus to reject the new base construction.
Regarding the return of bases and lands in southern Okinawa including the U.S. Kadena base, five facilities and areas will be subdivided into 13 areas and both governments will jointly arrange a return schedule by the end of the year. In the schedule, the 13 areas will be sorted into three groups; a group eligible for immediate return; a group eligible for return after alternative facilities in Okinawa are provided; and a group eligible for return after U.S. Marine Corps forces relocate to Guam. However, the statement provides no deadline for return. There is no guarantee of return.
The Japanese and the U.S. government for more than 40 years have prolonged the discussion on this issue. However, the return is yet to achieved. The reason for this is that base relocation within Okinawa is raised as a condition and that the return is linked to the transfer of the U.S. Marine Corps to Guam. The new agreement takes the same position. It is highly likely that the return plan will end in failure.
What is particularly serious is that the agreement specifies “refurbishment projects” at the Futenma base and continuation of “host nation support”. Large-scale “refurbishment projects” will lead to perpetuating the base into the indefinite future. In addition to the intolerable noise and the danger of crashes, the Futenma base will introduce another danger as MV-22 Osprey aircraft, which have been involved in frequent accidents, will be deployed to the base. The perpetuation of the base, which is often described as the most dangerous in the world for nearby residents, will do nothing to eliminate the danger threatening Okinawan people’s lives, safety, and livelihoods. It is impermissible to use taxpayer money for such a purpose.
Japan is considering using taxpayer money not only to share the cost of “refurbishment projects” at the Futenma base but also to cooperate in “developing training areas in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as shared-use facilities” by U.S. forces and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces. Japanese people’s share of the construction cost for a U.S. military base in U.S. territory has been under criticism as unreasonable, without parallel in history and in the world. It is absolutely irrational to force Japanese people to shoulder additional burdens as the U.S. military base is strengthened. The promotion of JSDF-U.S. integrated operations abroad under “bilateral dynamic defense cooperation” must also be condemned.
The Japanese Communist Party urgently demands that the Japan-U.S. agreement sticking to the construction of a new base and promoting Japan-U.S. military integration abroad be withdrawn. The JCP works together with concerned citizens to abrogate the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and establish a base-free Okinawa and Japan.
