  U.S. insists on maintaining its forces in Japan -- Akahata editorial, September 25 The Japanese prime minister and the U.S. president discussed realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, the Iraq question, United Nations reform, and the BSE question. In complete disregard of the growing calls of the Japanese people for the closure of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station due to a U.S. military helicopter crash and opposition to the plans to renew and strengthen base functions, Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro did not convey these calls to U.S. President George W. Bush. Instead, the prime minister in the summit maintained his subservience to the United States as shown in his remarks in favor of the U.S. plan to realign and strengthen its military bases. Why he doesn't call for withdrawal of U.S. bases? Bush told Koizumi that U.S. military transformation is aimed at achieving a more efficient deterrence capability and called on Japan to cooperate in this plan. Koizumi asked the United States to take into account the need to reduce the burden residents have to endure in Okinawa and other localities, while maintaining deterrence. He said that attention should be paid to the fact that Okinawans are especially anxious about the recent U.S. military helicopter crash. The U.S. president stated that the United States will address the concerns of the communities in Japan and consider reducing the burden. The Japanese government has welcomed this statement as progress, but the reference is completely out of context of the suffering of Okinawans. The two leaders were obliged to make statements because they could not dismiss the Ginowan Citizens' Rally on September 12 in which 30,000 citizens in protest against the Japanese and U.S. governments adopted a resolution demanding an immediate closure of the U.S. Futenma base and an early return of the land to Japan. In the summit talks, the two leaders discussed the plan to relocate the Futenma base functions to Nago City. What the Ginowan citizens and the Okinawa prefectural people now demand is not the continuation of the base with its functions being passed from one place to another in the prefecture. Relocating the base functions means that the citizens near the base are forced to endure real danger on their lives and property in the more than 10 years during the transition period. It also means exposing the citizens of Nago City to the same fear as that felt by the Ginowan citizens. If the prime minister is truly concerned about the prefectural people's anxiety at all, he should straightforwardly demand that the Futenma Air Station be closed and its land returned to Japan and to start negotiations. However, Koizumi acknowledged the need to maintain U.S. forces in Japan as a deterrent and supported the plan of their realignment. It is clear that the realignment plan does not include a reduction in the number of U.S. bases or troops in Japan. A U.S. government official stated that U.S. forces in Japan, primarily the Air Force and the Navy, are different from those stationed in Germany and South Korea, which will be drastically reduced in numbers. He added that there is a possibility of consolidation of bases in Japan but not large troop cuts. It is significant that the realignment plan is aimed at strengthening the capabilities of U.S. forces in Japan. U.S. bases in Japan have been the strongholds of strike forces, including the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa and the 7th Fleet stationed at Yokosuka Port. Strengthening this characteristic, the realignment plan also intends to provide U.S. forces in Japan with the command capability for global war. If the 1st Army Corps Command in Washington State is to relocated to Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan will be a control post commanding several tens of thousands of U.S. troops in the Asia-Pacific region in order to conduct wars worldwide. This relocation plan is to concentrate all forefront operational commands of the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Army in Japan. Promising acceleration of realignment discussions A U.S. government official stated, "The prime minister agreed that we need to accelerate these talks, both at the strategic level, but also among experts on the two sides." These talks will include the relocation of U.S. bases and commands as well as joint use of bases by U.S. forces and Japanese Self-Defense Forces. Koizumi must not continue to ignore public opinion and accelerate such discussions. (end) |