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How do you think the election of Denny Tamaki, who opposes the American military presence on Okinawa, as the prefecture's new governor, will affect Japan's plans for a new U.S. air base still under construction in coastal Okinawa.

12 Comments

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12 Comments
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I think it lays to rest the conspiracy theory that Okinawan opposition to US bases is somehow manufactured by outsiders or was instigated by former governor Onaga. It may not be that Okinawans can get their wish of a complete removal of US bases, but going forward the starting point of all debate on the issue must accept that their opposition is sincere and requires respect and concessions of some kind.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Hopefully he'll stay the course of his predecessor and give the LDP hell

6 ( +7 / -1 )

No.

The US knows it.

The LDP knows it.

and Denny most certainly knows it.

It's all politics.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

A major spanner in the works.

And a major step forward in the right direction of freeing Japan from the surreptitious occupation.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

The longer Henoko is delayed, the longer Futenma will remain.

There are billions of yen to be lost and gained by rich landowners leasing land to the US military when the base transfer happens.

The “politics and protest” are all bluster. The real agenda is Futenma landowner’s money and government assurances of profit when the land stops being leased to the US.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

It'll keep Futenmna open indefinitely, which I guess is what some of the old codgers in Okinawa live on -- the ability to complain as a life-long learning hobby -- as well as the handouts.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

I don't think this is really our problem.

Tell the Japanese, if you want to be defended by the US, fix this - with the new base or the old base, whichever. If you don't want to be defended by the US, cancel the Security Treaty.

Either way, it's up to you.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Trump said to the UN "We reject globalism" -- so I assume that all US military bases around the world will be eliminated.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

It is not a new base. The base they're building for the Futenma relocation has existed for 70 years.

It won't impact the relocation. The Government of Japan has the legal right in this case. They will receive a Stay of Execution and continue construction and then win in court over the legality of OPG's revoking permission. It's just more delaying of the inevitable. It's sad that we will go 8 years without a governor who will actually put an effort in improving the prefectures quality of life and economic opportunity.

Futenma needs to be closed.
-2 ( +1 / -3 )

It's a question wrongly asked. If Okinawa were independent, it would still need USA to defend it from China. Therefore the question has nothing to do with having a US base, the question has to do with national and prefecture prevention of other bases.

Their complaint thus is with Tokyo et al, not the USA

0 ( +0 / -0 )

And a major step forward in the right direction of freeing Japan from the surreptitious occupation.

1960's claptrap.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The new guy can say whatever he wants but he doesn't call the shots. Nothing will change unless both the Washington and Tokyo both say so. Go back to all the past governor's and see how they fared.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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