military

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

U.S. will maintain 10,000 Marines in Okinawa even after relocation to Guam

The government on May 16 revealed that only 2,500 U.S. Marines will be removed from Okinawa to Guam, although the May 1 Japan-U.S. "final agreement" on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan stated that the number will be 8,000.

This was in a reply provided to Japanese Communist Party House of Representatives member Akamine Seiken's question. It stated that the U.S. explained to Japan that the United States will continue to maintain 10,000 Marines in Okinawa even after relocating some of them from Okinawa to Guam.

In parliament the Defense Agency's Defense Policy Bureau Director-General Ofuru Kazuo revealed that the U.S. explained to Japan that the fixed number of U.S. Marines stationed in Okinawa is 18,000 and that the actual number can be different.

Last March, the U.S. Forces in Japan informed Akahata that 12,500 Marines were stationed in Okinawa as of the end of last March.

The government also stated that the Japanese government is expected to pay the cost for constructing housing units for a total of 3,500 U.S. Marines and their families, plus barracks for 4,500 single soldiers.

Apparently, the Japanese government will spend 700 trillion yen in tax money to pay for constructing housing units for 8,000, even though only 2,500 will move to Guam. This shows that Japan is forced to use tax money to help strengthen the functions of U.S. military bases in Guam and that it has nothing to do with reducing Okinawa's burden of U.S. bases.
- Akahata, May 17, 2006