Japan OKs pact to supply munitions to U.S. more flexibly

toshiko,

I have been to Osaka twice in the last four years. I don`t know if you have every visited Okinawa and have ever seen the locations and sizes of the U.S. Military Bases on Okinawa but it is said there are 38 U.S. Military Facilities on Okinawa with Camp Schwab, Camp Hansen, Camp Courtney, Camp Mctureous, Camp Shields, Kadena Air Base, Torii Station, Camp Foster, MCAS Futenma and Camp Kinser being large bases in central locations taking up some of the best land on Okinawa. Okinawa is a small island about 70 miles long and an average 7 miles wide and they have all of those large U.S. Bases on it. Do you think that there are any places in Mainland Japan that would accept that many large U.S. Military Bases in their area? Why do people in Mainland Japan expect the people of Okinawa to put up with conditions that they would not put up with themselves?

@japan4: you have been writing you don't know there is no available empþy land in Osaka, Ike ignorant people who never bvisitred Osaka, the merchants' city.

About constitution, I was writing to a comment before mine.

Gov't can suggest like any Japanese but there wild have national voting.

The writer was suggesting if NK attacked. There is clause of self defense that there is no need to change constitution. Jodi is translated as Self Defense in English.

Try to read English version of Japanese Constitution in Wikipedia.

toshiko,

I have lived on Okinawa since 1971 as a civilian and I was stationed in the U.S. Army on Okinawa from 1967 to 1968 so I have lived on Okinawa for two-thirds of my life. I don`t understand the part of your post about Constitution change and the J Govt. can not change.

@japan4life:You never visited Japan, did you? Constitution change ... before suggesting, read Japanese constitution to learn J Gov't can not change.

About time the Japanese gov't. change their constitution so that they can use "use of force" when attacked by another foreign country (such as North Korea). Perhaps both the U.S. & Japanese gov't can work on that.

smithinjapan,

Keep on spouting that right wing rhetoric against the protesters on Okinawa, the people at Happy Science and those thugs who ride around in those Black Vans will be proud of you because that is the same thing they say. Wouldn`t you feel safer in Osaka which is closer to N.K. than Okinawa if you had some U.S. Marine Bases there? We have some on Okinawa that we would be glad to give you, they could put MCAS Futenma in Osaka Bay and put Camp Hansen and Camp Schwab over near Universal Studios Japan.

US media reporting US destroyers are waiting 300 miles from Korea. They are ready. N Korea is ready its diplomat announced. There is no proof US has equipment weapons yet.

japan4life: "It is hard to hear the protesters in Okinawa when you are hiding out in Osaka"

Who's hiding... besides the Okinawans who protest when it's convenient (and often get paid to do so), then when China and/or NK are a threat they suddenly make less noise. Claim all you want that nothing's changed, but where's Onaga saying he'll stop the bases the past week? Not... a... peep.

"and never have to look at or be inconvenienced by a U.S. Military Base."

You chose to live there. The people are living in an area that was built AROUND the bases for the most part. When it is FINALLY relocated to the thrice agreed upon (Okinawans sure live up to their word!) place many will move there to live off it again.

Yubaru, who is Japanese and an Okinawan, knows full well what's going on and has said quite clearly.

"Right donations, and those include money as well. So...he was talking about the media. I live down here and I know what he was talking about. The folks who sit up there are just an annoyance and side-show for the rest of the island."

Bingo! Hit it on the head, Yubaru. And so I repeat, not a peep while this is going on.

Do you think the US military could air drop some Yukon Gold potatos to Calee et al?

Why Okinawans need to protest? GIs in Okinawa will be joined to sailors from San Diego and Marines from Camp Pendleton. Okinawa bases may be emptied soon. People maybe sympasizing to American soldiers

It is hard to hear the protesters in Okinawa when you are hiding out in Osaka and never have to look at or be inconvenienced by a U.S. Military Base. Come to Okinawa and you will see there are protesters at the Main Gate of Camp Schwab every day and no matter what the weather is.

Yeah, they have been there for over 1000 days, which says a lot about the folks who think they dont get paid. Pray tell how can anyone stick around outside a base to protest for that length of time without any income?

Right donations, and those include money as well. So...he was talking about the media. I live down here and I know what he was talking about. The folks who sit up there are just an annoyance and side-show for the rest of the island. People feel empathy for them, but that's about it.

smithinjapan,

It is hard to hear the protesters in Okinawa when you are hiding out in Osaka and never have to look at or be inconvenienced by a U.S. Military Base. Come to Okinawa and you will see there are protesters at the Main Gate of Camp Schwab every day and no matter what the weather is.

Abe is chipping away at the constitution with this changes, and no one complains. But in this case I am in agreement, if anything is going to happen, nice to have your neighbor and friend available to help you out.

It's funny because I haven't heard a peep from Okinawan protesters over the last week.

Local press and media is quiet too. As always, when things heat up in the region, the protesters, HERE and in Okinawa, shut up. When things quiet down, they crawl back out or where ever they were hiding.

@ Smith - because they can't protest if they're hiding in Fallout shelters

I beg to differ, life goes on as normal, sarcasm or otherwise, when crap happens, they shut up, it's that simple.

What makes this necessary, as news?

@ Smith - because they can't protest if they're hiding in Fallout shelters

The timing seems to be uncanny with half the US navy steaming up towards Nirth Korea....

It's funny because I haven't heard a peep from Okinawan protesters over the last week.

Big countries America and Russia intimidated small countries with their nukes in the past. Now a small country intimidating the world with nukes.