U.S., Japan sign pact to move Marines to Guam

Watch the Okinawans cry once unemployment rates increase when the base is gone.

I predict this move of our Marines to Guam by 2014 will never happen and further the Ryukyuan people are now saddled with far more that 8000 Japanese Self Defense Forces (In addition to the Marines that are still on Okinawa.) This whole Obama/Clinton foray into Japan is going to backfire. It isn't going to work and Obama will be asked to come up with yet another stimulus plan for far more money

I say they should evac the whole damn base just to save the legal fees every time someone screams rape because the redneck from Georgia can't keep it in his pants.

And that's why you don't get a say.

Bye bye okinawan economy, hello booming Guam.

There goes the neighborhood!

Why sign a pact? The second world war ended 3 times before those who station here were born. Move your bodies off these islands and try not to live off my tax yens.

I wonder why the US spends a lot of money to deploy so many soldiers in Okinawa. I think the US had better cut budget of military and save money for bad recession. It looks like the US is strong enough ready to make another war.

25,000 soldiers is not much, in the event that things get out of control in NK. Especially Marines, which would be the first to arrive on the ground. Need to have them there as long as possible.

There are ways to modernize without completely moving out.

Does this mean we're going to give Okinawa to the dear little leader as the next bribe to try to get him to give up being an arse?

bushlover: Despite what everyone thinks, Okinawa would survive without the bases. True they would take a hit and loose some cushy contract jobs. But if they used the land they gain from the bases wisely they could actually make more money in the long run. The biggest losers are the lucky bastards who own the land the bases are on and will loose the money they get from the government.

Okinawa would thrive without the military because tourism is really their main economic base. The military solidiers, civilians, and support people would be sad to lose the best assignment base in the world, but tough cookies. Go take over Guam and pay some taxes there. Japan needs the revenue tourism and just regular life that would be back in place in Okinawa without the freeloading Americans. And, the civilians would be a lot safer. Sorry, Guamians.