  Unfair 'sympathy' budget for U.S. forces increases Japanese taxpayers foot the billAkahata editorial The FY 2005 "sympathy" budget that funds the costs for U.S. forces in Japan amounts to 237.8 billion yen, which is 6.3 billion yen less than that in FY 2004, yet still enormous. Japan also expends 26.3 billion yen to implement the accords of the Japan-U.S. Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO), a second "sympathy" budget which the Japanese government is not required to pay under the Status of Forces Agreement. It is used for relocating U.S. bases. The total amount of Japan's expenditure in the name of "sympathy" budget is 264.1 billion yen. The Koizumi Cabinet is thus giving U.S. forces a generous treat while at the same time abolishing the fixed rate tax cuts and increasing the premiums for pension and nursing care schemes. 'Generous support' The "sympathy" budget is not what the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) requires Japan to pay. The SOFA's Article 24 provides that "the United States will bear for the duration of this Agreement without cost to Japan all expenditures incident to the maintenance of the United States armed forces in Japan." However in 1978, then Defense Agency Director General Kanemaru Shin began to compile the "sympathy budget" on the grounds that the U.S. forces in Japan are in financial difficulty due to the strong yen against the dollar. The compassionate budget has increased while covering costs for barracks, houses, schools, churches, clinics, and Japanese workers' welfare benefit costs. Every five years since 1987, Japan and the U.S. have made the special measures agreement requiring Japan to pay for items ranging from salaries for Japanese workers, utilities and water expenses, to travel expenses for training. The "sympathy" budget has rapidly increased from 7.8 billion to 237.8 billion yen. The SACO-related budget the Japanese government began to pay in 1996 has increased from 7.2 billion to 26.3 billion yen. The "sympathy" budget greatly pleases the U.S. government and military. Assistant Secretary of Defense Joseph S. Nye bragged in 1995, "To have U.S. forces stationed in Japan costs less than that in the United States." U.S. Pacific Commander William J. Fallon also said in March 2005, "It is the most generous support among U.S. allies." The "sympathy" budget helps realign and strengthen functions of the U.S. bases in Japan as launching pads for wars of aggression like the one in Iraq. It is not good for Japan and the rest of the world to allow U.S. forces not only to be deployed but to even lend a hand to build the infrastructure that destroys world peace. If we allow the "sympathy" budget to continue, Japan will have to bear a much heavier burden. With U.S. forces being realigned, how much the extra burden of expenses will be has become the new question. Possible extra burden The present special measures agreement (SMA) will expire next March. The government has promised to renew this agreement with the United States. In the joint statement from the February talks of the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee (two plus two), both governments "decided to start consultations on future arrangements to provide appropriate levels of host nation support, bearing in mind the significant role of the SMA in supporting the presence of U.S. forces in Japan." Major issues discussed were the relocation of the U.S. First Army Corps to the U.S. Camp Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture as well as part of the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa to SDF's exercise sites, but it will cost an enormous amount of money due to the necessary construction of new facilities such as housing complexes for U.S. personnel. In terms of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, this is not something that Japan should pay for. If Japan pays for the expenses of realigning U.S. forces, it will be the third "sympathy" budget, helping perpetuate the U.S. forces in Japan. (Akahata April 15, 2005) |