politics

U.S. senator open to options on Japan base dispute

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He's already heard the opinions of Okinawans and Japanese.. through the election of the DPJ and the election of the new Nago Mayor... they don't want the Futenma AB on Okinawa..

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Not all Okinawan's and not all Japanese feel that way...it's still about 50/50 with the biased media being against the bases

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I will listen to you Japan...I'm here for you...

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Move the base to Tinian..

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I guess Hawaii should do the same, just like okinawa is doing. Only 50 japanese tourists a day in hawaii. I think that would be far also.

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Meanwhile ... Across the East China Sea, there is a sly grin among the Red Mandarins, as the slow process of pulling-away Okinawa from Japan slowly continues.

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Wow ,a politician who is coming to listen,no threats ,no demands.Makes a change from what we are used to reading.Well Senator Jim Webb,I sincererly wish you all the best,but be prepared for the false smiles and greasy grins,because it seems no one here in parliament is familiar with what the word truth means.Also thankyou for making it plain to those politicians,that Toyota IS a business issue.

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Move the base to Taiwan!!!!

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sharky - You know, that might just not be a bad idea. After all, the base would be far more welcome in Taiwan than it apparently is here, probably mainly because there's a far greater risk of invasion of Taiwan by the communist Chinese than of Japan, probably because of the U.S. bases and thousands of U.S. military people in Japan.

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Starting a weeklong tour in Japan and Guam, Sen Jim Webb also called Toyota’s recent recall problems—the subject of two congressional hearings next week—a “business issue” that wouldn’t affect political ties between Japan and the United States.

Let's see how people feel later this month after Toyota executives have to undergo grilling during congressional hearings.

Toyota's problems, the JAL fiasco, probably another poor Winter Olympics for Japan, and Japan's dithering on the base issue-things could actually get pretty bad soon with U.S.-Japan relations.

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I hope the Japanese understand that a little grandstanding by one congresscritter amounts to exactly diddly squat. Then again,they should be used to political hypocracy being hip deep. Nothing like a politician in front of a camera for comic relief - until you realize these guys are actually trying to run a country.

"The country is in no greater peril than when congress is in session." -Mark Twain

Somebody translate that please....

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We can't go into Taiwan as mainland China would treat it as an invasion. Remember that they still consider Taiwan to be a province of Communist China and could NOT ignore a U.S. base there. So unless you want to start a war with China (justified or not) we're not going there.

This congressman is a weenie. Tired of the snow here in DC, he's wrangling a trip to Okinawa where it is considerably warmer. He'll listen to EVERY Okinawan's opinion on the matter if it keeps him out of the DC snow for another day.

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Taiwan would be great, the people are open minded, the cost of living is low, the have great amenities, and the current government of China never has, and does not now control Taiwan. It would be great if all the bases in Japan packed up next month and moved to Taiwan...Then you can watch Okinawa cry the blues for the loss of billions of dollars in military revenues, loss of payments by J-Gov for hosting the bases, and the sudden wash of empty housing from those who used to be here to support the military...GREAT PLAN!!!

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Just couple of comments;

We used to have U.S. bases in Taiwan, they were very nice bases, but we pulled up and left them many years ago because we don't have a bilateral security treaty with Taiwan. And we did that when China was fairly weak - there's no way China would consent to any US bases in Taiwan today - it would spark a rise in nationaism that the government couldn't control and would be forced to act - even militarily.

I'm not sure of Mr Webb's motives - some times he can be a rational fella, other times a typcial craven politician. But what is clear is that him sticking his nose into this issue is not something either the US or Japanese governments want - it needs cool heads, and that is not what Senator Webb is known for....
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Let's say it costs $2 Billion a year to keep a base open. This means that most of this revenue is booked in the host city or prefecture, and resulting personal and corporate income tax flows into the coffers of said area.

Also, "foreign" investment into Okinawa results in improved infrastructure of public utilities and roads.

If they don't want the base there, that's $2 billion in economic activity that will go somewhere else.

In my home country, there was similar problem with several US bases that also closed. Now that the bases is closed, tourism revenue is not able to compensate.

Of course, there are some environmental issues that need to be addressed. Use of depleted uranium and other dangerous chemicals has resulted in serious pollution, and now one of the former bases is even a Superfund site. Okinawan's got it good compared to us.

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If they keep "listening" to people they will eventually talk to an idiot or drunk politician or someone who will take a bribe.. and "hear" what they want and publicise it enough to drown out the election of the DPJ, and the election of the new mayor of Nago and the consensus of the Okinawan people.. who all want the base moved to another place in Japan, out of Okinawa or the country all together.. Just keep "listening" and eventually you'll "hear" some nobody say something you can "run with"..

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Everything that needs said is said.. it seems the US accepts democracy when it speaks in their direction, but when it doesn't, then they talk like they "want to hear direct from the people" as if now they want to blow off the votes and elections and talk to someone (who they can bribe) and then speak like THIS, is the voice of the REAL people. It's stupid and a ploy to ignore the DPJ getting democratically elected in large part on the platform of decreasing the US military presence on Okinawa and also the democratically elected mayor of Nago who also wants the "schwab agreement" nixed..

This going to Okinawa to "listen to the people" is BS and a way to say that he "got down in the trenches" and heard from the real people. He will stop listening when he finds one voice that says they should keep the original plan.. because they want to make some money selling bento meals to some GI's that might drive by his store..

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Sen Webb was the lone voice of the liberal Democrats.. he actually came out and stated that the Democrats should cool it.. and not try to jam health care down the thoats of the people until (R) Scott Brown got sworn in.. so hopefully he is not up to crap.. and really trying to come up with a solution.. like accept a move to Tinian or Shimoji. As I said before, if Okinawa was sinking, would that leave Japan vulnerable without anything to do? Nope, the bases would move to the nearby Islands or back to the US or Guam and Tinian... there are options.

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