Japan Press Weekly

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2008 November 26 - December 2 [US FORCES]

JCP requests Foreign Ministry to urge the U.S. forces to stop building off-base housing units

With the number of U.S. military personnel living outside of U.S. bases in Japan increasing as a result of the U.S. Forces in Japan encouraging them to do so, they are bringing in various problems, including violence and improper garbage disposal.

In 2007, U.S. military personnel who live in Yokosuka caused an injury case. This year in Okinawa, a junior high school student was physically attacked.

On November 27, the Japanese Communist Party in Kanagawa Prefecture visited the Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry to request that the government urge the U.S. forces to stop using or building off-base housing.

Regarding the construction of new off-base housing units in Yokosuka City for U.S. servicemen, prospective JCP candidates for the House of Representatives Hatano Kimie said, “The off-base housing complex that houses 360 families was constructed just in front of an elementary school. Because U.S. servicemen and their families don’t register with the local government, nearby residents have no information about them and are concerned about possible crimes committed by U.S. personnel.”

A Foreign Ministry official responded, “There is no problem about U.S. servicemen living outside of the bases. The U.S. forces in Japan intend to have exchanges with local residents. Since this year, the ministry reports to the relevant local governments the numbers of U.S. servicemen, civilian employees, and their families living in houses outside of the base."