Using Japan's tax revenues for 'relocation' of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam increases Okinawans' pains

Japan Press Weekly

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

Using Japan's tax revenues for 'relocation' of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam increases Okinawans' pains

Akahata editorial

The Japanese and U.S. governments on July 11 exchanged "Notes pertaining to the transfer of funds provided by the Government of Japan to the United States Government," in which Japan promised to pay the U.S. 336 million dollars in FY 2009.

This is Japan's first payment under the Agreement on the 'Relocation' of U.S. Marine Corps from Okinawa to Guam. The U.S. Embassy Press Release states, "This is a significant step forward towards implementation of the realignment package."

The Japan-U.S. Agreement, signed on February 17, provides for the implementation of the 'relocation' of the III Marine Expeditionary Force personnel from Okinawa to Guam. It requires Japan to pay the U.S. about 6.09 billion dollars, including 2.8 billion dollars in direct cash contributions plus 3.29 billion dollars in loans and additional funding, to construct facilities and infrastructure on Guam.

This is the first of Japan's annual payments that will continue until 2014 when the ongoing realignment and transformation of U.S. forces in Japan will be completed.

No country other than Japan is so generous as to agree to pay such large amounts of tax money to help construct military bases on foreign soil. This is the matter of principle essential to be defined as a sovereign nation.

Adding new facilities to the U.S. military base on Guam is only in the interest of U.S. global strategy. It has nothing to do with the "defense of Japan." Japan has no obligation to pay any of the cost under the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.

The Japanese government says that the payment of nearly 6 billion dollars as part of the U.S. military realignment on Guam will help reduce Okinawans' excessive burdens from U.S. military bases. How can this be true? While the Agreement maintains that the number of Marines to be 'relocated" from Okinawa to Guam will be 8,000, it will be just around 3,000 because at least 10,000 Marines are assigned to be deployed to Okinawa.

Now that the premise of the Agreement turned out to be groundless, Japan must stop using tax money to assist the planned construction of U.S. military facilities on Guam.

Even if command staff members of the III Marine Expeditionary Force are all relocated to Guam, "Okinawans' pain" will not be reduced. Training and operations by more than 10,000 Marines on the island of Okinawa will mean crimes and sonic booms uncontrolled, and the danger of U.S. aircraft crashes and other accidents.

What's worse, if a new Marine air base is constructed in the Henoko district of Nago City, Okinawa, local residents will be forced to endure additional burdens, including noise from state-of-the-art tilt-rotor-transporter Ospreys and other aircraft that will fly over residential areas.

The Guam agreement stipulates that "the III MEF relocation from Okinawa to Guam is dependent on tangible progress toward completion of the Futenma Replacement Facility" (to be built in Nago).

U.S. government and military leaders predicted that the total cost necessary for the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, including the construction of U.S. military facilities on Guam, will be three trillion yen.

The Japanese government has agreed to pay the sum even by allotting the "realignment cost" separately from the framework for annual defense budgets. Ignoring the needs of millions of people suffering under harsh economic conditions, the government is willing to continue to pay 'sympathy' budgets for military forces of another nation.

In order to safeguard (the peace in Asia and) people's living conditions, the government must stop paying 'sympathy' budget to the U.S. and make a drastic cut in defense spending. - Akahata, July 16, 2009

(Note)

Projects to be funded by the Government of Japan during FY2009 for the relocation of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam:

On-base infrastructure project in Finegayan area (initial phase)	124.8 million U.S. dollars
On-base infrastructure project in the northern area of Andersen Air Force Base	27 million U.S. dollars
On-base infrastructure project in Apra area	169.1 million U.S. dollars
Design project (fire station and bachelor enlisted quarters in Finegayan area, and port operation unit headquarters building and medical clinic in Apra area)	15.1 million U.S. dollars

(From U.S. Embassy in Tokyo Press Release)