Japan Press Weekly

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2013 March 20 - 26 [US FORCES]

Citizens protest integration of Japan-US forces

A rally took place on March 20 in Zama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, in protest against the relocation of the command of the Ground Self-Defense Force into U.S. facilities in the city.

The Central Readiness Force Command, which is in charge of the overseas dispatch of GSDF troops, is located in Camp Asaka which extends over the north of Tokyo and a portion of Saitama Prefecture. The relocation of the command division to U.S. Camp Zama will be completed on March 26.

Camp Zama has the U.S. Army First Corps Command which leads military operations in case of emergency in the Asia-Pacific region.

This move’s aim is to strengthen the preparedness for Japan-U.S. joint operations abroad as part of the reorganization of the U.S. forces.

At the protest rally in which about 120 people took part, Kamoi Hiroko, representative of a civil group seeking the return of the U.S.-occupied land to Zama, said, “The Japanese and American governments have been creating a system under which the SDF and the U.S. military can go to war as one integrated military force. Let’s strengthen our resolve to protect the war-renouncing Constitution and crush their intention to turn our city into a major foothold for making war.”

A 65-year-old woman from Zama’s neighboring city of Sagamihara said, “I’m afraid that ordinary citizens would be forced to be involved in a war if something serious broke out.”