U.S. military housing being built outside U.S. bases

Japan Press Weekly

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

U.S. military housing being built outside U.S. bases

Japanese Communist Party representative Inoue Satoshi pointed out that U.S. military facilities in Japan are being expanded as housing complexes for U.S. military servicemen are built outside U.S. bases.

At the April 24 meeting of the House of Councilors Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, Inoue criticized the government for squandering Japanese tax money to construct housing complexes for U.S. servicemen and their families even though more than 20 percent of housing units inside U.S. bases are vacant.

In Sasebo City in Nagasaki Prefecture, there is a U.S. military housing complex outside the U.S. Naval Base. A signboard at the entrance of the area reads “This is the housing complex for the U.S. forces. Only authorized people can enter.”

Pointing out that in Yokosuka City in Kanagawa, which hosts a U.S. Naval Base, a U.S. military housing complex was built in front of a public elementary school, and Inoue asked if the government was actually aware of this.

Vice Foreign Minister Kimura Hitoshi stated, “It was built under a private contract (made between the U.S. forces and the private sector) so that the government is not in a position to comment on it.”

Inoue called on the government to investigate these cases since the construction of U.S. military housing complexes has been promoted under consultations between Japan and the U.S.

- Akahata, April 25, 2008