Gemba assures Yamaguchi that more U.S. troops will not be relocated there

But but.. I thought they thought highly of US troops when they helped out after the tidal wave. Oh! That was as long as they stayed in Okinawa.

Gemba said he was aware of Yamaguchi’s contribution to the U.S.-Japan defense relationship and said Tokyo would not consider stationing any more U.S. troops in Yamaguchi.

Other then the ones from astugi........

Atsugi is a Naval Air Station. No Marines.

Fuji has Marines.

Yeah, it's a big deal when it conerns a prefecture in mainland Japan, but when it's about Okinawa, Mainland Japan turns a blind eye. "Just let Okinawa deal with it" attitude.

All standing american armies out of Japan now! Why the hell should Japan have to put up with this? As if americans would let any foreign standing army be billeted on their shores.

All standing american armies out of Japan now! Why the hell should Japan have to put up with this? As if americans would let any foreign standing army be billeted on their shores.

Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan........ was signed between the United States and Japan in Washington, D.C. on January 19, 1960. As a result Japan has never spent more than one percent of ts GDP on military expenditures, in return for allowing the US military presence in Japan, the United States agrees to defend Japan against any foreign adversaries

As if americans would let any foreign standing army be billeted on their shores.

A: NORAD and El Paso, Tx and a German Air Force Flying Training Center in Otero County, New Mexico, and the RAF is at Nellis, NAS Pensacola has the the 2nd German Air Force Squadron, Canadians and Italians go through pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, Phoenix, the USAF/AZ ANG trains foreign F-16 pilots...... those are all the aircraft squadrons, I'm not even sure about how many ground forces, I know that the Japanese GSDF trains in Washington State all the time.

Perhaps in future, US troops could just hover over Japan until needed.

Perhaps in future, US troops could just hover over Japan until needed.

Doesn't matter if the hover, or are on the ground. As long as they are spread out 'over' all of Japan, then most Okinawans wouldn't have a problem.

Why Japanese public doesnt want such a valuable protector in their neighbourhood but seeking their presents in the nation? Must be some reasons very 'amusing'!

I've seen Iwakuni (in Yamaguchi) since the 70s slowly becoming a shutter town. Especially their central business district. They could really use the boost that 1,500 Marines would bring to their economy.

Why Japanese public doesnt want such a valuable protector in their neighbourhood but seeking their presents in the nation? Must be some reasons very 'amusing'!

Unfortunately this is a case of a few bad apples spoil the bunch. Each time we have a "problem child" Marine who does something stupid or breaks a law, the publicity ruins our image to the Japanese people. So all the good we do for the country economically, during disaster relief, protection of the country, etc. gets overshadowed by bad press...

@Tizalleyman: NO! The real reason is the Japanese haunted by their defeat in WW2 and of course the nuclear blasts! The japanese were very very proud people they cannot substaining the fact is they were defeated and under foreign occupations! Imagine if you are Japanese and you saw US military jets above their airspace and docks! And they knows all neighbouring countries especially China hate them so much! Japan wants to be 'free' but the fact is they were trapped by powers around them (US,Russia, China)! Their isles nation is very very fragile.

Why Japanese public doesnt want such a valuable protector in their neighbourhood but seeking their presents in the nation? Must be some reasons very 'amusing'!

Because look at all the rapes done by americans stationed there, especially in Okinawa. Ive seen it firsthand while stationed in Okinawa. On lockdown because a Marine raped a little girl, or tried breaking into someones house and raping them after following them home from the store, or the club. Servicemembers have no tact and no respect. Out of all the guys in my small little unit I was the only one to actually try and learn something. Everyone else was sex and drinking. My favorite is when they say why dont they elarn english......um because we are in theyre country moron. Maybe defense of Japan is why we are there. But we need a better breed of soldier to earn their trust. And the backwoods ifiots and wannabe gangsters arent the ones to do it

As much as the vocal radicals want it to still be called that, the American military force in Japan ceased to be an occupying force when administration of Okinawa was handed back over to Tokyo in 1972.

An occupying force will stay there regardless of the country's wishes. The U.S. forces are not occupying forces because, if the Japanese government decided to terminate the 1960 agreement and asked the U.S. to leave, the U.S. would. The U.S. wouldn't LIKE it because, let's face it, moving from ANYWHERE to ANYWHERE is expensive and a huge pain in the @$$ but the move WOULD happen. Article 10 of the 1960 treaty states:

This Treaty shall remain in force until in the opinion of the Governments of Japan and the United States of America there shall have come into force such United Nations arrangements as will satisfactorily provide for the maintenance of international peace and security in the Japan area. However, after the Treaty has been in force for ten years, either Party may give notice to the other Party of its intention to terminate the Treaty, in which case the Treaty shall terminate one year after such notice has been given.

To date, I haven't heard that Tokyo has given their 1-year's notice to terminate, have you? That would give Tokyo one year to build their defense forces up to the point that was covered by the American forces. Of course, that would mean higher taxes on every Japanese citizen as they would now be required to foot the entire bill for their national defense.

Fadamor, Japan already pays for a lot of bases it does not use. Just have to buy the equipment and recruit the troops. Thus it is an equipment and personnel cost. Also the Japanese military does not need all of the luxuries the American personnel receive, ie base exchanges, commissaries, paid for housing, paid electric, etc. Best of all we would control our entire country again and the American occupation will finally be finished. Liquidate TEPCO for clean up costs and use the money to restore our military and honor. So if this is a dare to end the treaty, I say to my PM to give the word.

http://www.g2mil.com/okinawa-solution.htm The marines are obsolete force and not needed, we should just go back to the army, navy and air force. the marines are pretty much useless in okinawa.

You see!

NOBODY wants them!

Please get out of Japan.

The date is 2012, not 1912.

Why do American troops need to be stationed in Japan?

Defense is a myth.

Who's going to attack?

Russia?

China?

North Korea?

Come on guys!

North koreas military is a joke, their million plus army can not defend against south koreas defense force (its very advance today). For china we have the 7th fleet and kedena. for russia we have the worlds longest range nuclear weapons, if they attack we will destroy them instantly (I'm anti-nuke and i hope this never happens). I want to go live in Okinawa again, but not in the military as a civilian who can help the Okinawans develop a real economy. Ihave some very good Okinawan friends who live in both hawaii and okinawa.

I hope he didn't say, "Trust me!".