japan4life comments

The LDP are a disgrace for trying to deny the people of Okinawa their right to freely express their opinion on the Henoko Relocation Plan. Every eligible registered voter on Okinawa should have the right to participate in this Referendum. This has nothing to do with apathy, but is a campaign by the LDP on Okinawa with the encouragement of the Central Gov. to lessen the impact of the referendum and keep from embarrassing PM Abe.

Can you imagine what an embarrassment to the Central Gov. it would be if a majority of the voters in Ginowan City where MCAS Futenma is located voted not to relocate it to Henoko?

What an embarrassment to Japan Abe is! Other world leaders are running away from Trump and only meet him when they absolutely have to but Abe is always chasing after him and trying to arrange meetings with him.

Russia is always the bad guy but the U.S. is always the good guy, LOL. If you compare the U.S. and Russia side by side, in my opinion the U.S. has done a lot more bad things in it's on country and around the world!! The genocide of American Indians, the enslavement of black people, the Civil War, Jim Crow, the Vietnam War, the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, the support of genocide in Yemen, and look at even today, the continuation of Police Brutality against minorities and the number of gun related deaths in the United States.

Japan can do whatever it wants and spend as much money as they want, but they will never be able to defeat China. The United States Military who cannot even defeat a bunch of goat herders in Afghanistan cannot defeat China. The best case scenario would be a stalemate with major damages in both countries but more so in Japan than China. With a shrinking and aging population in Japan, who is going to be manning these battleships and flying these planes? If China ever decides to make a sudden and all-out attack on Japan then it is game over. If they attack on a major U.S. Holiday or the day of the Super Bowl, then by the time U.S. Forces report to duty it is game over.

I will be at Tokyo Dome on 1 November, I have arena seats. Really looking forward to it and I also saw him at Tokyo Dome on April 2015 and the show was amazing.

Unless you lived in Okinawa during the U.S. Military Occupation, you have no idea about how the people of Okinawa feel about the U.S. Military Bases. The people of Okinawa are against the relocation of MCAS Futenma because it is being built because of the rape of a 12 year old girl by 3 U.S. Servicemen and the Japanese Govt. and the U.S. Govt. are pretending that they care about the safety of the people of Ginowan City. If the Japanese Govt. and the U.S. Govt. cared about the people of Ginowan, they would have held high level talks to close MCAS Futenma right after Reversion of Okinawa to japan but they did not. The U.S. Marines are not necessary to be on Okinawa for the Defense of Japan, never have been and never will be.

It would be better for the JSDF to take over all of the U.S. Marine Bases on Okinawa because the JSDF do not need Military Family Housing, Dependent Schools, Golf Courses, Bowling Centers, Movie Theaters, PX, Commissaries, Fitness Centers, Tennis Courts, Private Beaches, etc. If the JSDF took over all of the U.S. Marine Bases on Okinawa, they would still be able to return over half of the land currently used by the U.S. Marines and perform the same function.

Why should the people of Okinawa have to accept a U.S. Military Facility that is being built because a 12 year old girl was forcibly abducted and brutally gang raped by 3 U.S. Servicemen. If that rape had not happened, then MCAS Futenma would not have been designated to be closed and the new facility would not be being built at Henoko.

I don't consider abducting a 12 year old girl, bounding and gagging her, putting her in a vehicle and driving her to a remote location and gang raping her to be a whim.

I guess it is just a coincidence that the facility that the Japanese Govt. decided to build for the U.S. Marines in order to close MCAS Futenma just happened to be exactly what the U.S. Marines wanted. The U.S. Marines told the Japanese Govt. exactly what they wanted and the Japanese Govt. agreed to give it to them.

So a 12 year old girl gets gang raped by 3 U.S. Military personnel, the U.S. Marines get a brand new state of the art facility paid for by the Japanese Taxpayers and a beautiful ocean spot on Okinawa gets destroyed. I thought that crime didn't pay!

The U.S. Marines took advantage of the abduction and brutal gang rape of a 12 year old girl by a U.S. Navy Seaman and 2 Marines stationed at Camp Hansen to get the Japanese Govt. to build them a new state of the art facility to replace an old unimportant to the defense of Japan base called MCAS Futenma. After such a horrific crime was committed by U.S. Marines, that the Marines would demand that the Japanese Govt. build such a facility for them and the fact that the Japanese Govt. agreed to build such a facility for them just shows how little both the Marines and the Japanese Govt. respect the people of Okinawa.

And for all of you people who believe the BS that the Japanese Govt. and the U.S. Marines are closing MCAS Futenma because of safety concerns for the people of Ginowan City, the Japanese Govt. had 23 years from the reversion of Japan until the rape incident happened to hold discussions with the U.S. Military to relocate MCAS Futenma because it was dangerous but neither the Japanese Govt. or the U.S. Marine Corps took any action to close MCAS Futenma until the rape incident happened.

The Philippines kicked the U.S. Military out so there should be no U.S. troops involved in defending them until they are willing to accept permanent U.S. bases on their soil. If the Philippines want the U.S. Military to defend them, then they should be required to take all of the Marine Bases that are on Okinawa. Why should the people of Okinawa be required to bear the burden for hosting bases to defend a country that kicked the U.S. military out.

I have a lot of respect for Komeito voters on Okinawa who defied Tokyo and voted their conscience and voted for Tamaki for Gov. of Okinawa but it is really time for Komeito to pull out of this coalition with the LDP. They have had to sacrifice most of their principles and go against their own members in order to help the LDP push their polices through and get LDP members elected but Komeito themselves have gotten very little from the LDP and I can't think of any of their policy proposals that have become law.

The Philippines kicked the U.S. Military out but yet the U.S. Military still has obligations to defend them? People are always saying if Japan kicked the U.S. Military out then the Japanese would be on their own and have to defend themselves so why do the Philippines get to kick the U.S. Military out but still have U.S. soldiers and even Japanese soldiers putting their lives on the line to defend the Philippines?

Congratulations to Denny, what an accomplishment! Definitely not your typical silver spoon born Japanese politician, his U.S. Marine father abandoned his mother before he was born and he never knew him and was teased and bullied as a child because he was Amerasian and without a father. He became the first Amerasian elected to the Japanese Diet in 2009 and ,as far as I know, is now the first Amerasian governor of a Japanese Prefecture. Nothing but respect for Denny because of what he has had to overcome in his life to get where he is today.

The Japanese Govt. gave Okinawa to the U.S. Military and Okinawa missed out on the . economic growth that the people of Japan enjoyed. While Mainland Japanese were working for Toyota, Honda and Panasonic, the people of Okinawa were working as houseboys and maids for the U.S. Military. The Japanese Govt. is responsible for the economic situation of the people of Okinawa and it is the responsibility of the Japanese Govt. to improve the livlihoods and quality of life for the people of Okinawa but the problem is that the Japanese Govt. places priority on the U.S. Military Bases instead of the people of Okinawa.

Why is there no explanation from the British Govt. as to how the Skripal's survived the most deadly chemical agent in the world and why are they not being allowed to tell their miraculous survival story? Why has their been no investigation into what activities Sergei Skripal was involved in since he came to the U.K.?

Yubaru,

Tell me what is the future of Okinawa? How is the LDP going to improve the livelihoods and quality of life for the average person on Okinawa?

CrucialIS,

Sorry my friend but all of my years on Okinawa have taught me that the elections on Okinawa are not a barometer of the people's true feelings. They vote in cycles and they will vote the LDP in for 4 or 8 years and then vote them out again. You are a LDP supporter but do you really think the new LDP mayor of Nago is going to bring economic prosperity to that city? Do you really think that companies with good paying salaries are coming to Nago? if Sakima is elected governor do you really think that he will bring economic prosperity to Okinawa? Do you really think that companies with good paying salaries are coming to Okinawa? The LDP politicians will be voted in for a cycle but once the people of Okinawa realize that they can not deliver on their promises to make their lives better then they will be voted out again.

Anyway, I personally hope the referendum takes place and the people of Okinawa have the say in this matter that they deserve and that the central govt. will be forced to accept the results of the referendum no matter what it is. And people should never forget the real reason that MCAS Futenma was decided to be closed and the U.S. Marines are getting this new facility built at Henoko courtesy of the Japanese Taxpayers and that reason is the kidnapping and brutal gang rape of a very young girl by 3 Marines.

CrucialIS,

How about providing us with data that is indicative of the overwhelming support of the Henoko Relocation plan by the people of Okinawa.

Only needed 23, 000 signatures but got 93,000 and from May 23 to July 23 a 2 month period or an average of over 1,500 per day which is not an easy task on Okinawa.

Why don't you start getting signatures of eligible voters who say they want MCAS Futenma to be relocated to Henoko and see how many you get in the next 2 months?

CrucialIS,

93,000 signatures out of eligible voters which were verified by local election boards not the total population of Okinawa that you implied which makes the number impressive. The last thing the Central Govt. wants to　see is a referendum about Henoko. I personally believe that if the people are given a chance to vote just on the relocation of MCAS Futenma to Henoko only then they will reject the relocation plan. The problem is the Central Govt. will not accept the results if it goes against them just like they refused to accept the results of the people of Nago voting against the relocation plan in 1997.

Vague on his support for the relocation of MCAS Futenma to Henoko which means he plans to run a typical LDP campaign of deception.

Going to seek a revision of the SOFA. LOL, if the gov. of Okinawa has no say in where a U.S. Military base can be located then why does he think he will have a say in revising SOFA.

Going to invite a U.N. Organization to utilize MCAS Futenma when it is returned. If it is a U.N. Organization, then all of the facilities, employees salaries etc. will be paid for by the Japanese Taxpayers and the only jobs the local people of Okinawa will be doing is cutting the grass and cleaning the buildings.

Yes people of Nago vote for the LDP for prosperity!! Just look at what all the LDP has done for the people of Okinawa since reversion. Look at all of the big companies with high paying jobs that the LDP has brought to Okinawa. Look how rich and prosperous the people of Okinawa have become under the LDP.

The LDP places more priority on the U.S. Military bases and the quality of life for U.S. Military Personnel than they do for the livelihoods and quality of life for the people of Okinawa. Look at all of those nice air conditioned schools they have built for Military Children, how many schools on Okinawa are air conditioned?

The lives for the average person on Okinawa will never change no matter who wins until the central government makes the livelihoods and quality of life of the people of Okinawa more important than the U.S. military Bases! All a LDP friendly local administration is going to do is get a bigger budget from the central govt. that will have strings attached and make mainland Japanese Companies richer with very little benefit to the average person on Okinawa! The deck of cards is always stacked against Okinawa and Mainland Japan always wins!

Japanese politicians are envious of their U.S. counterparts who regardless if they are Republicans or Democrats are able to make a lot of money from their connections with the Merchants of Death.

Japan is an aging country with little natural resources and a dwindling tax base and many social problems that need to be addressed so they cannot afford to throw away money on weapons systems just because of pressure from the United States. Japan needs a foreign and defense policy based on the actual needs of it's people and that reflects the reality of present day Japan instead of just meekly walking behind the U.S. and doing whatever they say.

I would like to have the J-Govt. explain exactly what it's China Policy is. On one hand they say China is an important economic/trading partner but on the other hand they say China is a huge military threat. Which one is it? Japan is one of the largest reasons that China's economy became so large which has made it possible for China to expand it's military spending. The Japanese Govt. contributed to and is still contributing to China's military buildup and now they say that Japan must greatly increase it's defense spending to counter China's military buildup which Japan helped to create. Japan sent Japanese jobs and technology to China and now they want to take more of the taxpayers money to spend on weapons to defend it from China.

RIP Queen of Soul and thank you for all of the great music you left behind for us to continue to enjoy.

You really have to laugh at the Japanese Govt. because they spend all of that money to procure the aircraft and then they have to bribe the local people to allow the aircraft in their area and then they say that the rise in the rate of severe accidents involving the Osprey has nothing to do with the safety of the aircraft but the GSDF will not be conducting aerial refuling missions or other operations above Saga Pref. as part of safety measures. SMH!

HonestDictator,

So what you are saying is that because of alleged Russian Interference in the 2016 elections the people of Flint Michigan don't have clean drinking water and the streets of Chicago are not safe and kids in schools are not safe and the income equality gap keeps getting bigger and bigger. I believe these problems were around long before 2016. Go talk to poor people in Appalachia and see how the Russian Interference Allegations rank in their list of concerns. Go talk to poor people in Mississippi and see how the Russian Interference Allegations rank in their list of concerns. Go talk to the people who have lost their jobs and homes and see how the Russian Interference Allegations rank in their list of concerns. The U.S. has a lot of major problems that need to be addressed but yet the political establishment and media are all screaming Russia, Russia, Russia and doing nothing to address the real problems. Russia is not the cause of racism in the U.S., Russia is not the cause of gun violence in the U.S. and Russia is not the cause of poverty and income equality in the U.S., politicians need to be taking care of the real problems in the U.S. instead of looking for a scapegoat to blame for a candidate losing an election.

The political establishment and the media are the only ones in the U.S. concerned with alleged Russian interference in U.S. Elections and keeping this story alive to deflect from the real problems that the U.S. faces. Do you think people in Flint Michigan where the water is not fit to drink are concerned? Do you think people in Chicago the murder capital of the world are concerned? Do you think that parents who lost their children to gun violence are concerned? Do you think the men and women working two jobs and still not being able to make ends meet are concerned? The average U.S. citizen could care less. The Koch Brothers and the other super rich who buy and influence elections are a lot bigger threat than Russia.

I actually know him, having first met him when he had a local radio program many years ago. I haven't spoken to him in several years but he is a good man and his story is a familiar one on Okinawa because his father was a U.S. Serviceman (Marine) who left Okinawa before he was born and was never seen again. I believe that he made an attempt to try and locate his father but was unsuccessful. Even though his father abandoned him and his mother, he does not dislike Americans and he loves Rock n Roll. He had a tough childhood and was picked on because of being Amerasian and his father not being around. In 2009 he became the first Amerasian member of the Japanese House of Representatives and it would be nice to see him become the Gov. of Okinawa. He has his work cut out for him because the LDP will be promising the people of Okinawa everything under the sun to try and win this election.

CyburneticTiger,

Everytime there is an important election in Okinawa that might affect the U.S. Military Bases, the Central Govt. makes promises of increased budgets if their candidate is elected and decreased budgets if their candidate is defeated. If Okinawa had a vibrant economy with a strong GDP and almost all of the people had good paying jobs, and was not dependent on the Central Govt. then the Central Govt. could not use the threats of decreasing budgets to force their will on the people. Also if Okinawa had a strong economy and GDP and most of the people had good paying jobs, because of the limited amount of land there would be the demand for more available land and with most of the U.S. Bases sitting on prime land then there would be more pressure to get rid of the bases which is something the Central Govt. does not want. The No. 1 priority on Okinawa for the Central Govt. is the stability of the U.S. Military Bases and achieving that stability means that the people of Okinawa need to stay dependent on the Central Govt. Budget so that the Central Govt. can use that budget as leverage to buy support for the bases.

voice of okinawa,

No use to talking to smithinjapan, he is a Canadian living in Osaka and knows nothing about the U.S. Military and their Bases on Okinawa. He only posts on threads about Okinawa because of his dislike for the people of Okinawa.