Tensions rise in Hatoyama cabinet over Futenma

Let them go, don't move the base, and keep the status quo...no problem...

The Hatoyama Cabinet is in a storm - they have to remember that not only is the Base issue is contentious in the Coalition, but also the LDP negotiated the Agreement. Major, major political favors were exchanged, and the DPJ is talking about disturbing the deals negotiated, and favors enjoyed. I bring up the LDP b/c I was JUST contacted by an "official" who dropped the name, former Foreign Minister Kawaguchi, connected to Yale Univ., of the Koizumi Cabinet, in a way not pleasant. This base issue is much larger than I anticipated.

This is only a "hypothesis", but was it former Foreigh Minister Kawaguchi who negotiated a major part of the Base Relocation Agreement? There would be no other reason for her name to be conveyed to me. Anyone on JT privy to her participation?

I would be interested in a random survey of what the Okinawa people have to say on this matter,plus how about a random survey of the American forces in Okinawa,would they like to relocate stateside or Guam,I'm sure they would. So come on you politicians,lets see some of this TRANSPARENCY you are all talking about.Lets see who gets what out of this,you can bet it won't be the people of Okinawa.

If the Hatoyama government doesn't honor the agreement reached in 2006, the next Republican government is free to renegotiate any agreements made by the Obama government.

But Sarge, we are in 2009 now and the expression 'honoring agreements' has become an expression of the past. Talk is cheap and paper burns even better.

Let them leave.

All 10 seats of the SDP in both houses mean exactly what? NOTHING. So go ahead and walk. Obviously their party is as meaningful as the thoughts in their heads.

minello7, sorry but the American troops on Okinawa do not have a say in this process. They are only there for a short duration and it is NOT there country. apecNetworks so the mainland enjoys the favors and the people of Okinawa pay the price. I wonder what sort of favors were enjoyed by the LDP at the expense of the people of Okinawa. Time to picket the PM's office, cabinet offices and Diet assembly. Though at the rate they are going there may be a new government the near future.

Enough of this crap. Time for the US to pick up and go. Relocate everything to the Marianas, abrogate the security pact and let Japan provide for its own defense.

Hopefully this will be enough to get the Americans out of Okinawa. North Korea isn't a real threat, South Korea could beat them on their own. China just wants to trade and prosper. No need for this silly "alliance".

I am a Japanese and I have been a long-time LDP supporter. I didn't like Hatoyama and his party's foreign and defense policies. I thought Hatoyama an agitator and the party populist. Hence, I was very much surprised when people of Japan gave a huge victory to DPJ with more than 300 seats in the lower house. Why? People were disappointed about LDP that could not do much for workers in time of economic crisis which originated in America. They also did not like the then prime minister Aso who frequented expensive bars when people were having a hard time. When he was asked about it, he answered "What's wrong I spend my money?" After all, Japan needs a good and strong leader. We have to go with DPJ at least for four years. I want Hatoyama go and Maehara replaces him.

As for Aso and the LDP losing elections, some didn't like the idea of a family tainted by war crimes--criminal acts of great cruelty committed during the war. I can't imagine why.

As to the military question: I am strongly against war, armies, and soldiers and their toys. Training people to rape, kill and maim is to create a social crisis which we are incapable of solving. Do any of you really believe that some guy can patrol a free zone in Vietnam, killing anything that moves in his path, then come home and lead a normal, healthy and productive life?

The US has enough problems of its own. Why should we take on Japan's problems? If the Japanese can't honor their agreement, the US should take Okinawa back and leave the Japanese to fend for their own against all their Asian "friends."

The rest of the world can start a pool to see how many minutes Japan will last unprotected, and the US can figure out some other productive task for the unemployed in Afghanistan and Iraq and for the psychopaths they send to Okinawa.

Most Okinawans have spent most of their lives under the thudding of helicopters from a busy American air base, are accustomed to disappointment. Decades of complaints about the base here and others on the island have gone largely unheeded, and a painstakingly negotiated plan to move the Marines from populated areas remains years from completion. Japan-American relations have entered a new stage that people don’t really understand yet. Japan feels alot of uncertainty about the future in Asia, but it also feels like it doesn’t have to follow quite so closely behind the United States. Japan is searching for a new balance, the fate of the Futenma, has taken on heightened significance.

To YuriOtani:

"apecNetworks so the mainland enjoys the favors and the people of Okinawa pay the price...."

The situation is abit more complicated than that. Pressure is applied until someone breaks, then is rewarded if they take instructions. I guess you are not privy to the behind the scenes politics. You should dig around if you have the access. For me, I have been w/ this from the get go, so things some people can't even fathom, I understand. Sometimes it can appear to be "prophetic".

Next year, 2010, is going to be a "whopper".