Okinawa governor wants tougher action after 61 U.S. Marines infected with coronavirus

Don't let them off the base for any reason short of N Korean-Chinese invasion.

They'll be fine. They're young, healthy Marines. They'll shrug it off and won't be contagious in short order.

The problem is, is that if they're suddenly reporting 61 cases that means they didn't report any cases before this, which there had to have been.

Yeah if I see them I will surely call !!! In other countries military people get into action during disaster times like floods .. what this American bases do here during Kumamoto floods ?? They do nothing, eat tax payers money and create chaos here ... !

The US forces should be sensitive of their hosts and follow the regulations as per Japanese law.

They must avoid the care free attitude towards combating the virus the way other Americans are doing in the US.

Gov Denny Tamaki said the outbreaks occurred at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, which is at the center of a relocation dispute, and Camp Hansen, Tamaki said. Both bases have been locked down.

This statement makes it sound as if Tamaki is saying that the bases have been locked down, He did not, all Tamaki stated was "the outbreaks occurred at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, and Camp Hansen".

I want to know where the author is getting the information from that the bases are "locked down", as I have close friends who work on BOTH and neither say they are "locked down"!

Oh and this...

The Marines said in a statement Friday that the troops were taking additional protective measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus and were restricting off-base activities.

https://www.facebook.com/IIIMEF/photos/a.1681038328796813/2975686642665302/?type=3&theater

The US forces should be sensitive of their hosts and follow the regulations as per Japanese law.

"Regulations per Japanese law?" Please expand on just what you mean?

The attitude of some Americans in Japan is appalling. If they don't wise up and show a modicum of respect to their fellow human beings, the virus will increase.

Haven't they inflicted enough pain on this country?

They'll be fine. They're young, healthy Marines. They'll shrug it off and won't be contagious in short order.

This is a demonstrative example of why certain irresponsible people shouldn't be allowed in Japan.

I mean, if they're mostly wearing masks then they're doing the same amount of prevention as the Japanese populace. There's essentially zero social distancing here in Tokyo, basically life is how it's always been just with masks and hand sanitizer. If that's what the people on the base are also doing then how can you fault them? If not then they deserve to be condemned for reckless behavior.

Also, the jab about celebrating Independence Day is ridiculous. Thousands upon thousands of Japanese people went out at the height of the first wave to get drunk under sakura trees without masks and social distancing, but I doubt the governor would find that comparable.

But also, Gov. Tamaki uses absolutely any excuse to **** on any Americans in Okinawa whatsoever so his political agenda makes it hard to take him seriously.

Also

I'm no big fan of the US military presence in Japan but...

There are actually no Japanese laws regulating social distancing and mask wearing, so the argument for Americans flouting these "laws" makes no sense.

Definitely should lock down the base until further notice, though. As anywhere should be, with an outbreak.

Thousands upon thousands of Japanese people went out at the height of the first wave to get drunk under sakura trees without masks and social distancing, but I doubt the governor would find that comparable.

That was stupid and irresponsible, so are the July 4 celebrations!!!

Two wrongs don’t make a right.

Send them home.

(After they have recovered, obvs).

@ulysses

I agree with you. I'm just commenting on the hypocrisy.

The most serious problem is on the side of Japan. Japanese people do not think seriously to protect their country by themselves.

Send them home. (After they have recovered, obvs).

Why wait? If the military can afford to rent out an ENTIRE Hilton hotel to house their people off base here, prior to them being shipped back home, they can afford to pay to send these sick or infected one's back too!

This is another type of base damage Okinawa has to suffer. It's reported that the U.S. military leased a local hotel outside the base to quarantine U.S. mainland-returned dependents. Hope nothing will come from the hotel.

It's reported that the U.S. military leased a local hotel outside the base to quarantine U.S. mainland-returned dependents.

They rented out the Hilton Double Tree hotel in Chatan, which was temporarily closed, for the purpose of housing, not just dependents, but military who are on orders to return to the states.

It's for people LEAVING Okinawa, not coming in.

What? Ordinary citizens are allowed to catch the coronavirus but Americans can't, right? Did Okinawa have zero infections until now or is this just more hate thrown at the service members? I already know the answer. How many infections did Tokyo have yesterday? Maybe its governor can blame the service members too. Seems to always work in Okinawa.

DineshToday  07:04 am JST

Yeah if I see them I will surely call !!! In other countries military people get into action during disaster times like floods .. what this American bases do here during Kumamoto floods ?? They do nothing, eat tax payers money and create chaos here ...

That is NOT what the military is for and I can't recall Japan asking them to assist in Kumamoto. However, the U.S. military has provided assistance in Japan in times of disaster when asked to do so but some choose to ignore that.

If the same thing happens at U.S. bases in mainland Japan, people of Japan will be very upset and frightened. They will for the first time begin thinking seriously about problems keeping a foreign settlement they cannot control.

Kick the Marines out. Terrible “guests”.....

What? Ordinary citizens are allowed to catch the coronavirus but Americans can't, right? Did Okinawa have zero infections until now or is this just more hate thrown at the service members? I already know the answer. How many infections did Tokyo have yesterday? Maybe its governor can blame the service members too. Seems to always work in Okinawa.

This is a classic deflection here. Nice try, but at least here, folks are infecting each other, and NOT having it imported from other countries!

Which is another problem, Japan is basically still shut down to international air travel, hell the international terminal at Naha AP is still closed. BUT these military folks come in and out of Japan through Kadena here in Okinawa, no visas, only their ID cards.

The military is making things worse by not quarantining their people PRIOR to boarding the plane, and then quarantining them again at their port of entry, meaning Kadena AIr Base.

We have every damn right to bitch about this one. The military is not doing it's job by allowing them into the country!

The military should be stopping ALL entry into countries that have banned flights from the USA. There is no excuse!

And NO ONE is blaming the military for the new cases that popped up here. We went well over 2 months with ZERO cases, and the two we have here now, are from people from here who contracted the virus on trips to mainland.

Right now, the US can NOT be trusted with anything with regards to COVID. There were nearly 70,000 new cases there just yesterday, over a quarter of a million in less than a week.

No one, military or otherwise, should be allowed OUT of the US until they get it under control!

Folks may talk about China being the "cause" of all of this, but right now, it's America that's making it worse!

From what I understand DoD aka Esper has mandated that infection numbers will not be released so that adversaries would not know the changing capability of the forces. That being said to immediately tackle this problem, GOJ should initiate an immediate dialog with DoD to get the most vital information on a need to know basis. They should set up a joint contingency committee, and at a minimum it should be comprised of CG USFJ, CG III MEF, Tamaki, and the head medical doctor of Okinawa's Corona task force. This is new ground and I'm not sure if SOFA covers this, but if this isn't contained, the host nation and the U.S. forces have a lot to lose. It's not a time to throw mud at each other, work the problem first. You can bet your house and horse that NK and PRC are watching how the U.S. and it's allies are working through these issues.

I’m actually impressed that Yubaru requested news articles on Okinawa as Japan isn’t just Tokyo and voilà!

The stark contrast in sentiment in this comment section and in the comments section of hostess/nightlife "covid threat" story yesterday, for almost EXACTLY the same thing, is quite disturbing and disappointing!

Also to note, I haven't seen Abe or Kono say anything about this, I may have missed it. Therein lies the problem. Also, MCAS Iwakuni is also a part of 1st MAW which is HQd in Futenma. My point being, Iwakuni is in Yamaguchi, Abe's constituency. If there was an outbreak in Iwakuni do you think Abe would act more quickly? Just sayin'...

If that's what the people on the base are also doing then how can you fault them? 

I am guessing they got it from newly arrived troops from the US. Which means that while the rest of Japan, and most of the world, has closed its doors to the US, American military bases are a loophole that is allowing infected Americans into the country (U.S. military members are not subject to Japanese immigration and border control laws).

I’d be pissed off too if I was in Okinawa. Actually I am pissed off even though I don’t live near a US base, this is a problem for the whole country.

As long as the host clubs and night establishments are open and operating, one shouldn't be asking marines or other businesses in Japan to lockdown or close down.

It seems to me more soldiers would get infected soon as a base isolated looks like a small town.

It always amazes me how quickly people forget the extremely low mortality rate of this virus.

Relax, people!

@Serrano. What are you thinking!? This is serious!

It goes to show that the US military and the its government are not taking proper precautions and further discredits the credibility of the United States as a nation capable of containing this virus.

It always amazes me how quickly people forget the extremely low mortality rate of this virus.

Relax, people!

Oh yeah, relax. Only 136,000 people have died from it in the country these soldiers are coming from, no big deal at all.

USA soldiers are trained to kill and their roaming around civilian Okinawa will kill.

Send them home.

(After they have recovered, obvs).

Easy to say that. How will you defend Japan. Premature response.

@Goodlucktoyou

You do realize that the soldiers stationed in Okinawa probably don't want to be there either? Most people would rather be in their home country, they don't generally have a choice where they go. You're insane to believe that American soldiers are like zombies just roaming around Japan murdering people left and right. Actually insane.

The benefit of having the US bases in Japan benefits Japan a lot more than the reverse. Japan could very well ask them to leave but they don't because (to name just a few reasons outside of the constitutional problem), Japan doesn't have a large population of young men to spare, they barely have enough young people to fill regular jobs. Next, because Japan has a very old population, they simply cannot spare an enormous chunk of their GDP to go to defense spending. Regular Americans don't particularly want their tax money to pay for the defense of other countries, they don't really want their family members to be shipped abroad willy nilly, nor do the soldiers necessarily want to live in a country they have no particular interest in. It's just their job.

It's not an ideal situation for either side but you act as if America is colonizing Japan and that's ridiculous. Okinawans should take their grievances to Tokyo because if you think the Japanese government wants the US military to completely leave you're living in fantasy land.

I agree, this may originated from a recent transfer from the US. Every soldier going overseas should be tested prior to shipping out but I don't if that is done. The temperature gig is not worth the time since 30 to 40 % of those carrying the virus have no symptoms but are able to infect others. Hopefully they will contact trace find determine the origin so they can prevent future outbreaks. There is not much we can do when we have an idiot for a President running around saying the coronavirus is a minor ailment to 99 % the people. He keeps the CDC from providing guidance to the States. Makes me mad because I really want to come back and visit Japan, By the way the comment here that these guys are healthy and they recover. We just had an incident here were some young people had a coronavirus party. They thought the whole thing was a hoax. (Trump) Well one young man has died and two are in critical condition. We are dealing with some stupid people back here. Stay safe everyone.

Sorry for the few typo. I forgot my glasses. I would like to make my corrections

every soldier going overseas should be tested prior to shipping out but I don't think that is done

61 newly diagnosed active cases means close to 200 other infected people who don't know they're sick, yet, and a dozen or more of them presently infectious.

They'll be fine. They're young, healthy Marines. They'll shrug it off and won't be contagious in short order.

@ Serrano. Another completely ignorant statement. It is NOT these marines any of us are worrying about. It is those locals in Okinawa they have come into contact with who may not be able to "shrug it off" as a result of these selfish marines.

Lock ALL the marines down 24/7 until the entire outbreak is traced and resolved.

savethegaijin

The benefit of having the US bases in Japan benefits Japan a lot more than the reverse.

US bases in Japan are beneficial for USA's international geopolitics, particularly against China and North Korea. You enumerated several benefits for Japan but didn't mention the obvious one for US.

@hiragino4410

Those particular reasons are mutually beneficial, so my point still stands. Unless you think Japan doesn't require military deterrence from China and North Korea?

Bottom line is the bases should be locked down until this is sorted, as any business, office, school etc. should. The politics of the bases existing at all is irrelevant right now. Actually, bringing politics in to the entire Covid situation is exactly why the US is in the crap state it is right now in the first place.

@Fighto!

It is NOT these marines any of us are worrying about. It is those locals in Okinawa they have come into contact with who may not be able to "shrug it off" as a result of these selfish marines.

You assume the marines are the ones to blame for catching Covid. Unless you can prove that they were all purposely not following safety guidelines, they're simply victims of the illness.

Demonizing people for acquiring a disease is gross.

Wow. Zero to sixty one overnight. They must have known for quite some time numbers were increasing and now they've decided they can't keep it a secret an longer. And, at the same they knew numbers were increasing, they were letting people go off base unrestricted to party downtown and visit beaches. If I were Okinawan, I'd be furious. Beyond belief. What a bunch of ...

Yubaru

We went well over 2 months with ZERO cases, and the two we have here now, are from people from here who contracted the virus on trips to mainland.

Do you know how many test were being done daily during the period there were zero cases.

But also, Gov. Tamaki uses absolutely any excuse to **** on any Americans in Okinawa whatsoever so his political agenda makes it hard to take him seriously.

Gov. Tamaki's decisions and actions are influenced by his unresolved issues with his American father. Despite the US military in Okinawa is the reason that he was even born because of his unfortunate upbringing where he was rejected by his father and the Japanese community, he finds any chance he gets to vent his personal frustrations and his longing to be accepted.

The results are manifested in his policy!

Easy to say that. How will you defend Japan. Premature response.

By sending the occupiers home (and maybe those who refuse to wear masks) this is precisely about defending Japan.

My students and I were supposed to visit Okinawa in September but it was cancelled back in May. Its looking like our principal made the right call.

Regardless of how many military members or their families have COVID, Okinawans want them gone. (Is this on topic enough moderator?)

Then once we are gone and China swoops in, they will say the US abandoned them.

Incompetent leadership at the top trickles down to the base level.

@Toasted Heretic

By sending the occupiers home (and maybe those who refuse to wear masks) this is precisely about defending Japan.

Not many military personnel are being transferred between bases because of the pandemic. They went on lockdown before Japan and just recently lifted lockdown in Okinawa. The few newly arrived personnel and family members are required by high command to quarantine for 2-3 weeks. It is not optional like Japanese citizens. More than likely someone was infected off-base then they infected others after returning.

How can you blame the occupiers when the government as a whole is not doing enough in terms of requiring their own citizens and business to follow health practices, to test more people, and to trace infected individuals with detailed infection rates. They are more focused on the optics and getting the Olympics up and running.

The US military irregardless to the Idiot in the WH has been taking the threat seriously from day one because a infected military won't be able to respond to any possible threats, so their main focus is to stay combat ready which means healthy men and women.

Not surprising when they have A/C on 24/7 and never open a window!

For heaven’s sake, lock the darn base down.

Whether Japan needs American troops stationed in Okinawa is a complete separated matter. It is the quarantine of these troops that is causing potential serious public health crisis to Okinawa the debate should be focused on.

Do you know how many test were being done daily during the period there were zero cases.

There were daily updates in the press, and at first it was quite a few, but around the 50th day or so it dropped to single digits.

But no, no total number, and the other problem is there is never any information, not just here in Okinawa, but all Japan, as to how many unique tests are being done daily. Some folks who contracted the virus here had been tested at least 4 times, so the numbers are screwed up big time.

The question is whether this cluster of servicemen and women were infected on or off the base. If it is the latter, perhaps one or two posters here might consider winding their necks back in.

With no cases "off" the bases when this was first reported, there would have been little chance that they caught it here. According to local media they imported it from the states!

@Yubaru

With no cases "off" the bases when this was first reported, there would have been little chance that they caught it here. According to local media they imported it from the states!

Japan like many US States have a poor track record of testing its citizens. It still quite hard to get tested here. Okinawa's local government has even fewer resources than the main islands, so I would be skeptical of infection rates if people in Japan can not get easily tested.

Because they are military, it should be easy to trace their movements.

Yubaru,

It's for people LEAVING Okinawa, not coming in.

Gov. Tamaki is demanding for a complete closure of these bases for a time being at least and asking exact information about the outbreak be notified thoroughly and without any delay.

But U.S. bases are not only in Okinawa. They are all across Japan. So this issue is not a local one, confined to Okinawa alone, but it's Japan as a whole's issue per se.

Time to revisit the Security Treaty and the SOFA.

(Re-posted)

It's for people LEAVING Okinawa, not coming in.

I see. But what measure is being taken for those coming in to Okinawa?

Gov. Tamaki is demanding for a complete lockdown of these bases for a time being at least and asking exact information about the outbreak be notified thoroughly and without any delay to Okinawa.

But U.S. bases are not only in Okinawa. They are all across Japan. So this issue is not a local one, confined to Okinawa alone, but it's Japan as a whole's serious issue per se, very relevant to Japan's sovereignty.

Time to revisit the Security Treaty and the SOFA.

.

Japan like many US States have a poor track record of testing its citizens. It still quite hard to get tested here. Okinawa's local government has even fewer resources than the main islands, so I would be skeptical of infection rates if people in Japan can not get easily tested.

Lumping Japan and the U.S together when it comes to pcr testing is grossly unfair to the U.S and gives me the impression you have bothered to check. For your info the US has conducted 42M test and Japan 552 thousand test. The pop of Japan is roughly one third that of the U.S so you can see the extreme disparity.

NewYork alone is conducting 65 thousand test a day about 10 times what Japan test a day.

The statement said measures are "to protect our forces, our families, and the local community," without providing details on the infections.

Though aware of confidentiality for security reason I would like to know what the health status of those being infected is all about. If the majority of them tested positive without symptoms, the recovery is likely, which wouldn't greatly affect local operations.

Semper feckless. Won't help the rest of us trapped here.

But U.S. bases are not only in Okinawa. They are all across Japan. So this issue is not a local one, confined to Okinawa alone, but it's Japan as a whole's issue per se. Time to revisit the Security Treaty and the SOFA.

After reading what you said, I also hope that people can stop discrimining against others which has been going on around the World due to the coronavirus. A cluster happens on one U.S. base so it only makes sense to boot ALL Americans and close ALL bases, right?

but It’s the Okinawan government who is hiding the truth, yesterday a person from the government who asked ask to be tested today, told us that there is at least 10people who got infected with the virus in Chatan area but its not even in the news!

and then they are Encouraging people from mainland to come visit okinawa , I was told by someone who works with tourism company that there is at least 4000people coming from mainland who would be staying in Chatan area! How is this doing your outmost best to fight the virus!?

greedy politicians!

What about death rates ?

It seems Japanese are nearly immune to Corona virus damage...

I will be waiting to learn the source of their infection. Nothing definitive yet. so let's hold judgement until it's known.

61 Marines cases spark outrage and lockdown demands. Thousands of young Japanese test positive and not a peep.

Double standards. Any mayors in Kanto demanding lockdown and something be done about testing.? Nope, they're not foreigners.

"SerranoToday 07:00 am JST

They'll be fine. They're young, healthy Marines. They'll shrug it off and won't be contagious in short order."

This wrong attitude is exactly why we are having so much trouble in the U.S. They are contagious before and long after symptoms. And they don't need symptoms to be contagious. My husband is a doctor currently risking his life taking care of morons that didn't wear masks in U.S. and they are mainly the young idiots. Our city just had a "surge" because stupid fraternity boys went to pledge week. Yeah. Young healthy boys will shrug it off and won't be contagious!? What moron says that!? They are the very reason why U.S. is going down for another Covid-shut down. Thanks morons!

A cluster happens on one U.S. base so it only makes sense to boot ALL Americans and close ALL bases, right?

That's what the anti-U.S./anti-base folks want. Using the Covid-19 infected military personnel is another reason/justification to call for the removal of U.S. military. They steal land, occupy without consent, rape girls, endanger lives with dangerous V-22s, destroy environment, threaten to bring war to peaceful Okinawa.....now they threaten to INFECT ALL Okinawans!

More protests to come.

I suppose somewhere in China some CCP leader might be musing that given the prospects of all base shutdown on Okinawa and restriction of military movement, maybe this might be a good time to seize Taiwan and Senkaku Island and begin setting up military bases in close proximity to Okinawa so that they can eventually "liberate" Japan/U.S. occupied China territory (as the CCP calls Okinawa).

Send back to the US it doesn't matter where, because covid is everywhere in the US.

61 Marines cases spark outrage and lockdown demands. Thousands of young Japanese test positive and not a peep.

there were loud calls for lockdown since tokyo numbers hit/nearing 50

Until recently the whole of Tokyo was running numbers below 50 so 61 for (2 bases? ) was a real shocker

i@n - loud calls for lockdown in Tokyo?! From whom exactly? JT posters maybe but not the Tokyo mayor. Both Koike and Suga have reiterated no need for emergency lockdown.

Office companies in Tokyo have not said a word about lockdown in Tokyo. Host club owners and izakayas are demanding they stay open. Then 61 US cases in Okinawa and they want all the bases locked down.

Yep posters.

Youre actually saying the mayor of Okinawa demanding tougher control measures from the US military and not demanding the same from Tokyo is double standard?

What the Okinawan governor, after getting his monthly handout for having the bases, doesn't want to admit is that they caught it from somewhere, and that was very likely Japan. The other thing is that all of the base personnel are likely being tested, unlike your average Okinawans, who are going to open bars, gatherings, and what not and likely spreading it to said US armed forces personnel.

It’s as clear as day. They’re using this covid rubbish as leverage in their impotent fight against the US forces, which by the way have every right to be here. Not going to work, just makes you look petty.

Haven't they inflicted enough pain on this country?

Are you referring to the ones with COVID-19? What pain have they inflicted on Japan? And if you’re referring to what happened over half a century ago, would you like some tissues?

In other countries military people get into action during disaster times like floods .. what this American bases do here during Kumamoto floods ?? They do nothing, ...

Were they asked for help?

eat tax payers money and create chaos here ... !

In 2011 during the earthquake and tsunami disaster the U.S. military helped out a great deal.

Those American troopers were all heros. The Sandai airport was totally destroyed bu American troops had it functioning again with one week.

They set bathing at evacuation centers. They delivered vital goods like food and water.

The America people donated the largest single amount.

and yet the locals still complain about their presence. oh the pain the US forces have put Japan through... Mind boggling.

All they’re doing is taking advantage of the covid crisis by drawing attention to their cause. Unfortunately it’s a hopeless cause, because baby, those bases ain’t goin nowhere.

We still have to respect the country we are in because it's not America. I see a lot of people not wearing mask. You have your civil liberties back in the state’s, but this is not the state's. SOFA is forcing you to be in this country, even if the country does not want you here. Respect that. Why is America leadership still shipping people over here, where we have been following the lockdown rules since March. Stop deployment from America because we have enough military personnel to get the job done. That's facts when you over 50,000 plus military personal here. These young military personnel need to stay their butts in the barracks until this is under control or a cure is effective. I feel for Okinawa. We are isolated from the world being on this small island. Let's keep it that way. If want to go Walmart, Costco, Kmart, and other American corporations businesses, stay in America and continue to suffer because people want to be defiant.

Okinawa survives off the US $s pouring into the economy because of the American bases being there, they have nothing else execpet chinese tourism which is now zero ironically !

IMO neither side nor anyone should be pointing fingers since we are all human beings. That is what is most important and taking strong protective measures possible on or base total populace on Okinawa. Doing the blame, shoulda, coulda've game does not cut it and gets no one anywhere. Working together on a way forward is best for everyone on the island.

I am reading so my Negative comments about the U.S.Armed forces in Okinawwa calling them "Occupiers"??? Marinesmay not be perfect and follow yours rules as a perfect citizen but they are there in part to protect you ( Okinawans). You want to know what an OCCUPIER is?? Kick the U.S out of Okinawa and you will soon find out!

CHiNA is just waiting for the opportunity to be your Occupier. Believe me when I say this. The ONLY reason OKINAWA has not been Invaded by China is those U.S. marines you hate so much.

You better Pray to God you never find out what it is live in a Communist society. Japan cannot stand up to China alone. That is why the U.S. is there to help your people from becoming communist and slaves to China.

Total deaths in Japan so far:

Hey! Don’t round off, okay. It’s 983. A 1000 is still a ways off. Don’t be so American.

I live here on Okinawa (not military affiliated), and its pretty shocking to see how this pandemic is being dealt with.

In regards to military personnel , I’ve heard of some locals complain about the amount of Y plates at beaches during the “lockdown”. I found most Americans adhered to rules.

Living in Chatan, I see Americans out and about every day and I would say 99% use masks, keep distance and respect mine. The problem I have is with allowing movement between bases and between America and here. Many people live off-base and go to and fro daily for work. I mean, my girl goes to school with heaps of American children.

Tourists are also a danger to us right now. These last couple of days there has been a significantly noticeable increase of tourists from the mainland.

If Tamaki could remind some locals that we are in a pandemic I’d be grateful. On more than one occasion I’ve had to step my kid and I away from some lady huddling right up to us in the shopping line. Navigating around whole families letting their young kids run around touching everything, maskless, old guys hacking their guts up in public spaces ...ugh

the whole thing is just...ugh.

Okinawa survives off the US $s pouring into the economy because of the American bases being there, they have nothing else execpet chinese tourism which is now zero ironically !

If the US leaves Okinawa, there will be some economic hurt for 5-10 yrs, but then the people will be fine as they take up new industries to earn their living.

The complaints here are exactly the same as every US Military base gets everywhere in the world, including inside the USA. Bases have been closing and consolidating around the world.

Japan hosts more US military than any other country, so of course, they pay the most. Japan has about 2x the number of US military that SK has. Germany has about 38K US Military which is between what Japan and SK host.

It should be pointed out that Germany gets along with their neighbors. France and Germany have worked together since the 1960s with EuroCorps. They have been discussing ways to merge under the Lamy-Verheugen Plan. That plan proposes a factual unification of France and Germany in some important areas - including unified armed forces, combined embassies and a shared seat at the United Nations Security Council. They also have been teaching a shared history (without denials) for both countries. France and Germany agreed with Russia and China concerning the US-Gulf War. They were against it. Germany and Japan are nothing alike today.

Send the infected ,back to trump-land. They are his problem.

ReasonandWisdomNippon - you should be thankful the Americans chose Japan as a Pacific outreach. Otherwise this wonderful country would have been communist Russia in 1945. And no US bases in Okinawa = China doing whatever they want over your borders.

I feel very sorry for the Okinawans as they have been treated awfully in history. Unfortunately their geographical position puts them in the firing line next to China. But Japan got lucky when the US chose to base themselves here and protect Japan.

Because the small island of Okinawa has the greatest burden of American troops. More should be located on the mainland.

Is there a reason a base wasn't built on a sparsely inhabited island like Tsushima?

@DrLucifer

Lumping Japan and the U.S together when it comes to pcr testing is grossly unfair to the U.S and gives me the impression you have bothered to check. The pop of Japan is roughly one third that of the U.S so you can see the extreme disparity.

NewYork alone is conducting 65 thousand test a day about 10 times what Japan test a day.

Either your skills of reading need improving or you are being selectively ignorant because I compared Japan to "some US states". I didn't say the whole country.

For every state that got ahead of the testing situation, I can name just as many states that have an equal or worst track record of testing than Japan!

For your info the US has conducted 42M test and Japan 552 thousand test.

For your information, the six largest states together equal the population of Japan. Only two of the six New York and California has a better testing record than Japan.

All State Comparison of Testing Efforts

> https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/testing/states-comparison/testing-state-totals-bypop

Like I said in my earlier post, many of the other states are in the same boat as Japan.

The US president even told administration members to slow down the testing to lower the numbers.

That sounds exactly like Japan.

Try again!

Vince Black,

They’re using this covid rubbish as leverage in their impotent fight against the US forces, which by the way have every right to be here.

How dare you say that -- that the U.S. has every right to keep as many troops and maintain as many bases as it wants in Okinawa? Do you consider that right the end result of World War II, i.e. the U.S. won and Japan lost?

Is there a reason a base wasn't built on a sparsely inhabited island like Tsushima?

Neither the US nor Japan want to spend the money. Governments, politicians and the majority of people hate anything that differs from the status quo.

Well, when the prefecture pretty much doesn't test at all, like five or ten per day for 1.4M people, and the US forces in Okinawa test at 100 per day for about 45K... In fact, even if you're sick, the prefecture hospital won't test you unless you have a link to being in mainland Japan in the last week... The Americans on Okinawa have a two-week quarantine upon arriving on the island, and test anyone with a fever or a sniffle. What's the local government doing here, other than hiding cases in order to get those potentially infected tourists from mainland to come down? What if the American Marines caught it from the local population, which is the most likely scenario?

A doctor at the prefectural hospital went around the government and told the population they would test 100 people who simply wanted to be tested, on the basis that they were in or around American Village on the 4th of July. Why didn't the local government do this?

Denny is a posturing, lying idiot.

Shame.

So sad I spoke with Kadena last week and they had no cases on base or on Okinawa.

@savethegaijinJuly 12  07:40 am JST

"Also, the jab about celebrating Independence Day is ridiculous. Thousands upon thousands of Japanese people went out at the height of the first wave to get drunk under sakura trees without masks and social distancing, but I doubt the governor would find that comparable."

Not 100% accurate. For example the complete shutting of Yoyogi park after the first days of Hanami season due to people starting to gather.

In fact, even if you're sick, the prefecture hospital won't test you unless you have a link to being in mainland Japan in the last week... The Americans on Okinawa have a two-week quarantine upon arriving on the island, and test anyone with a fever or a sniffle. 

Found something out that is rather interesting today about this. A coworker's daughter, who normally has a low "normal" temp, 35.5, was running a "fever" last Friday and Saturday of 37.2, she had a headache and felt pretty bad.

She went to Tomigusuku Central Hospital for some medication, and the doctor that saw her there told her, "Well it looks like you have been possibly been exposed to the virus, let's run some tests"

She had 3 tests done, one, a CT scan of her chest, and two separate nose swabs. The CT and first nose swab were negative, and they told her that the other would have results in a few days. Today she got told that she was negative for all three.

Point is, her tests were NOT a part of the "official" testing being done by the "hoken jyo" so the actual number of tests REALLY is screwed up here, as if this hospital is doing testing based totally on a visit like hers, and others cant get tested because they "follow" the prefectural and government information, I sure as hell am going to go to a private hospital here and get tested if I need it, and NOT wait on me to be on my death bed before they "officially" do it!

Tests are nowhere near 98% accurate still. Being tested with positive or negative results doesn't actually mean you are clear or infected.

"Is there a reason a base wasn't built on a sparsely inhabited island like Tsushima?"

Probably something to do with the bitter and bloody six month long battle the US fought to capture that island from Japan during WWII, and it's geography opposite China after Mao came to power. If my memory serves the US ended it's occupation and returned Okinawa to Japan in 1972. The April 1952 Treaty of San Francisco awarded Okinawa and several other islands such as the Marcus Islands to US trusteeship. A separate 1971 treaty returned Okinawa to Japanese control effective in 1972. Meanwhile the demands of the Cold War to keep the VMF (Voenno Morskoy Flot - Military Maritime Fleet of the USSR) and to a lesser extent the PLAN confined to the extent possible, behind the first island chain placed a premium on keeping bases on Okinawa. The recent rapid growth of the PLAN has if anything greatly increased the importance of the bases on Okinawa to both the defense of Japan and the US. Tsushima is poorly situated in this regard. In any even isn't most of Tsushima a nature reserve where new development is prohibited?

"How dare you say that -- that the U.S. has every right to keep as many troops and maintain as many bases as it wants in Okinawa? Do you consider that right the end result of World War II, i.e. the U.S. won and Japan lost?"

i would not say the US has a "right" to keep bases in Okinawa, but they certainly serve Japanese and US interests equally well. China has long maintained claims to the Ryukyus based on centuries old relations between the former Ryukyuan Kingdom and the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Ryukyuan Kings paid tribute to both Ming, Qing and Japanese Feudal warlords until the Ryukyus were absorbed into Japan in the late 1700s. Many if not most Chinese claim the only reason Okinawa is part of Japan is a legacy of imperial Japanese militarism and WWII ended that forever. Therefore the Ryukyus rightfully belong to China. I don't agree with this but most Chinese think this way. Having substantial US forces there guarantees any Chinese attack on Okinawa would lead to war with the US.

"I feel very sorry for the Okinawans as they have been treated awfully in history. Unfortunately their geographical position puts them in the firing line next to China. But Japan got lucky when the US chose to base themselves here and protect Japan."

Let's be frank. Until the past decade pretty much all of Asia was happy to have US forces protecting Japan, alleviating the need for the Japanese to re-arm. Japan had few friends in Asia, no allies aside from the US and much of Asia was happy to see Japan depending on the US for its defense. It has only been in the past ten years in the face of an increasingly aggressive and rapidly arming China, especially its growing modern navy and its habit of taking islands from weaker nations, that has changed Asian minds regarding Japan. Where before a re-armed Japan was viewed as a mortal threat, today those same nations fear China and see Japan both as a nation threatened by Japan and a possible strong ally to help contain China.

"If the US leaves Okinawa, there will be some economic hurt for 5-10 yrs, but then the people will be fine as they take up new industries to earn their living."

Yep, your new Chinese masters will invest heavily in high paying industries, the press will be free, all your favorite titles will remain in the libraries, PLA soldiers will never drink or gamble, will be neutered before arrival and PLAAF jets will fly noiselessly over sunny perpetually sunny skies.

Leadership comes from the top, down. American base commanders and ship captains saw what happened to the captain of the aircraft carrier Teddy Roosevelt when he tried to stop the spread of the virus on his ship. Their choice is to either let the virus run rampant, or be removed from command. Why should the base commanders in Okinawa and Japan think any differently?

I am all for prison time (5 years) if you do not wear a mask, wash your hands, and social distance 6 feet. I am sick and tired of hearing about military personnel going out and partying when we have a serious threat on our hands.

Did I say prison time? Yes! That would do it.

I am seeing most of the Okinawa people treat this virus as a serious threat and are doing all that is possible to stay safe and not spread it.

Yep, your new Chinese masters will invest heavily in high paying industries, the press will be free, all your favorite titles will remain in the libraries, PLA soldiers will never drink or gamble, will be neutered before arrival and PLAAF jets will fly noiselessly over sunny perpetually sunny skies.

Hyperbole much?

If new industries come, they will follow Japanese law. There will be new problems. That is too be expected, but the US military will be gone ... except the toxic waste clean up teams, which will still be working 50 yrs later.

"If new industries come, they will follow Japanese law. There will be new problems. That is too be expected, but the US military will be gone ... except the toxic waste clean up teams, which will still be working 50 yrs later."

If the US military leaves Okinawa while the CCP remains in power, the PLA will enter Okinawa immediately behind the departing Americans. Remember, China hates everything about Japan. They hold a deep grudge from WWII, nourished by a cowardly CCP who's own leadership ran and hid from the Japanese during WWII while Chiang Kai-Shek's forces did all the hard fighting. I hear it from the Chinese side of my family, never trust the Japanese, they will stab you in the back. That is what they say. And they want revenge. They think Okinawa was part of China before Japan took it by force in the 1800s and also think that with Japan's defeat in WWII Okinawa should have been returned to China and not to Japan. I don't agree with any of this but don't be so naive to think that the Chinese would not try to invade Okinawa were US forces to leave. They would be coming ashore as the last US aircraft departed. They would be waving at the departing aircraft from the side of the runway.