Anti-U.S. base protest

lngtimewndr

Damaging peoples cars, assaults on military members.

Care to give some specifics?

@ lngtimewndr

So what about the hundreds of Okinawan women that are abused or worst by Okinawans? Not as important? There was a woman murdered in Nago about two years ago, and a school teacher killed by one of her students last year in Okinawa City. I guess those don't count as terrifying experiences because we can't blame the Americans.

I have to admit that I'm kind of lost here. What is your point?

Of course the Okinawan people are shocked about every single of the very few heinous crimes that happen in the prefecture, and you will know that if you follow the local media, but that is a completely different topic and the discussion about what to do about local crimes has nothing to do with the US military presence, whereas crimes by US military personal obviously have to do with US military presence.

So could you please give us a clue why we should discuss such local crimes here?

Ever seen the videos of the protests at Camp Schwab and surrounding area? You might want to take a look at those before you spout that off. Damaging peoples cars, assaults on military members.

Those are not typical Okinawan reactions, but extreme rare exceptions and most Okinawans clearly reject such a behavior. Do you want to make 1.3 million Okinawans responsible for the actions of 20 or so protestors?

"The protest is not predominantly anti-american nor are the people using the crime against an Okinawa women for "political purposes".

So please do tell what yesterdays protest was about, because it surely was not about the senseless killing of a woman here on island. Did you count how many times "Henoko" or "Kichi" were thrown around by the speakers at the event?

"It is a simple truth but if Okinawa would share an equal burden in defending Japan there would be at most some hundred US military personal stationed in Okinawa and hundred of young Okinawan women would have been spared the terrifying experience of sexual abuse or rape and a dozen or so would be still alive."

So what about the hundreds of Okinawan women that are abused or worst by Okinawans? Not as important? There was a woman murdered in Nago about two years ago, and a school teacher killed by one of her students last year in Okinawa City. I guess those don't count as terrifying experiences because we can't blame the Americans.

"Even they criticize the US they almost never personally accuse any american for the suffering they have to endure."

Ever seen the videos of the protests at Camp Schwab and surrounding area? You might want to take a look at those before you spout that off. Damaging peoples cars, assaults on military members. What decisions has a 21 year old Marine made in regards to the current base situation or the current criminal incidents?

Some posters here either don't understand the context of this protest or try to depict it as something different than it really is.

The protest is not predominantly anti-american nor are the people using the crime against an Okinawa women for "political purposes". It is a protest against un unjust and discriminating status quo that leeds to Okinawan citizens suffering.

It is a simple truth but if Okinawa would share an equal burden in defending Japan there would be at most some hundred US military personal stationed in Okinawa and hundred of young Okinawan women would have been spared the terrifying experience of sexual abuse or rape and a dozen or so would be still alive.

The Okinawan people have been forced to put up with a massive presence of US military on their small islands and every crime committed by that unwanted outside force is a crime that could have been prevented if Okinawa would be treated with respect.

To expect a zero tolerance of one group from another is both discrimination and racism.

The Okinawan people are least racist people I have ever met. Even they fiercely oppose the US military presence they are overwhelmingly very friendly to US military personal. Even they criticize the US they almost never personally accuse any american for the suffering they have to endure.

It is the Okinawan people who experienced racism by the US and by Tokyo who both believe it to be legitimate to force this small island culture to carry an unjust burden.

Gis whom are familiar of American type crimes. you mean violent crimes like murder or rape!? statistics show that Okinawa's commit more than twice as many violent crimes than SOFA members do in Okinawa. maybe you should have called it "Okinawan type crimes"

While I can sympathize with the cause of the protest, as well as the Japanese people, it is important to note that many of the protesters in this case are of Korean decent, hwo are paid by Chinese sources for protesting this US military base.

@ Serrano

Heaven forbid Japan should militarily support the U.S. if it's attacked. Doesn't matter that the U.S. would support Japan if Japan is attacked. Some people just can't grasp that this isn't right.

Can you grasp the idea that maybe it's the US' influence in Japan that may cause Japan to be attacked? Right now, the only foreign forces attacking Japanese people are US military. Exhibit A: Okinawa

@toshiko "American type crimes" What are those? This sounds like a nutty idea.

If there was no base, the murderer would not have chance to know he could work in Japan. Okinawa is becoming haven for American former Gis whom are familiar of American type crimes.

Sign on guy wearing Obama mask : "Hey! Japanese Go to war for the United States!"

Heaven forbid Japan should militarily support the U.S. if it's attacked. Doesn't matter that the U.S. would support Japan if Japan is attacked. Some people just can't grasp that this isn't right.

We all feel bad for the woman who was raped and murdered and we all hope the perpetrator is prosecuted and punished, BUT, the murder was not caused by the US base people. Surely, we should all be outraged by rape and murder, period. Why aren't there outrage and marches on the street for the rape, murder and abuse of women in Japan!? Or for the shocking cases of child abuse and infanticide? Why no marches for the millions of women who have faced sexual molestation on a daily basis in Japan for decades?!

Sound to me like they are trying to make political gain by appealing to people' s emotions. Either that or these people are misguided and well, xenophobic.

Some people just can't grasp how living with having a foreign occupying force feels like in their own land, and it's because they cannot set aside their bias, and quite honestly, their hypocrisy as well. As I've said before, just replace "USA" with an "axis of evil country" and replace "Okinawa" with any other occupied territory in any of these articles about US bases, and I'm sure you'd feel differently.

its actually sad that people will use the murder of a woman to further their political gains. They make it sound like the US base is the epicentre of Okinawa's serious crimes when statistics prove that it isn't. Yes the US marines/ workers are guests in Japan but they're also human and make mistakes. To expect a zero tolerance of one group from another is both discrimination and racism.

@Bertie: Isn't this first time in Japan's history the puppet entered in Diet building?

They could enter mean, security guards and Diet members have same feeling with protesters?

Fooled me!

I thought it was himself, Abe.

What is it with puppets and effigies of the PM, JT?

Are you trying to say something?