MGigante comments

@jerseyboy --

Who cares if the US is in an unfair trade situation (which I do not think it will be in, anyway) if Japan can benefit from this trade agreement?

As if those poor, innocent US multi-nationals are lambs awaiting slaughter by Japanese companies, anyway.

The US doesn't want to leave Okinawa which leaves the central government looking like it doesn't respect the prefecture when the reality is that, without US consent, it has no control over this issue.

Please read the stipulations of the Okinawa reversion treaty. It guarantees US rights to these bases, so until the US is ready to leave the government cannot force them to do so without severely straining the alliance -- which in itself is absolutely vital to Japanese security. .

@Christopher Glen

Locals do not dictate security policy, but this agreement takes 9000 marines off the island. Seems the government is doing all they can for Okinawa. Too bad Onaga is self-serving and making promises he doesn't have the legal authority to keep.

Yeah, go ahead and thumb me down.

@Christopher Glen,

Well, considering the law came into existence because a court actually heard a case and ruled in favor of the plaintiff I'd say they will.

@Samuraiblue

How is that relevant? The US cannot be compelled to leave since the treaty stipulates the US has a right to these bases. I want the US military out as soon as possible, but the fact is a gradual withdrawal is the only way to go about this and the Futenma relocation is the only option (which is a sentiment mirrored by US state department).

@Samuraiblue and tinawatanabe,

Part of the stipulations for the reversion of Okinawa back to Japan was that the US has a legal right to use the facilities it currently has in Okinawa. It does not require the permission of the Japanese government to operate these facilities.

As part of that treaty, the US has a legal right to its bases in Okinawa -- the government is not leasing them the land. That is why a gradual removal is the only way forward, and why Hatoyama was unable to effectively shut down Futenma back in 2010.

http://www.cfr.org/japan/okinawa-reversion-agreement-1972/p30266

"The majority of Okinawans want less US military presence on their island not more."

The agreement will speed along the removal of around 9,000 marines, and their families, from the island.

"Many of us here cannot see why Okinawa has to host the US military."

Because the US owns these bases and does not want to leave for another prefecture, and if Japan demands that they be given up it will have significant repercussions on Japan's security.

Supporting Abe's security legislation drive is the best way to get the American military off the island.

@cracaphat, There is a fundamental difference between Abe's and Netanyahu's invitation. For one thing, the White House is well aware of the trip -- indeed, Obama will be meeting with Abe on his trip.

There is no trouble caused by his trip.

This is completely unjustifiable, and merely shows how out of touch and ignorant these protesters are.

Its fine to disagree with his policies, but they are pretty moderate in comparison with genocide and (actual) militarism.

These people should get some perspective, and quick.

@klausdorth,

What makes you say that? Abe recently tackled JA. He seems pretty committed to meaningful reform.

By the way, the Democratic Party of Japan's President Okada Katsuya also in involved in the same kind of scandal.

Really? The state that had a "Chris Kyle Day" sentenced his possibly insane killer to death? Whoa!

The base relocation plan also comes with the removal of about 8-9000 military personnel from Okinawa (as well as their families, and other smaller bases). This is what Okinawans want. Furthermore, the US is not going to unilaterally leave Okinawa.

People seem to want to blame the Japanese government, but the US OWNS those bases due to the terms of the Okinawa reversion treaty and cannot simply be asked to leave or move. Lastly, the hands of the Japanese government are tied, security wise, because of article 9. You can't have it all. Its a crappy situation, but gradual redeployment (what the Japanese government is attempting) is the only way, and criticizing a plan to remove over a third of the troops stationed in Okinawa is not productive, at all.

Absolutely. Japan needs to start taking its share of the global security burden.

Globalization does not simply mean globalization of the economy. It also means globalization of conflict, and Japan's isolationist, and hypocritical, military policy where it pretends to be pacifist all the while supporting around 50,000 US troops in the country needs to change.

Forgetting about whether Chris Kyle was a psyco-killer, or hero, for a moment.

One of the main problems with the movie is that it shows the Iraq war from the perspective of the soldiers, and not the Iraqis -- who have lost and suffered far more than our troops.

That is the real issue. Veterans ought to be respected, and their plight highlighted. But at the end of the day, they get to go home to the stable, wealthy USA. The Iraqi civilian is stuck in their living hell for the rest of their lives. This is something we in the West/Japan can take for granted, but the real tragedy is not Chris Kyle -- its the children who are forced into poverty, who have lost their families, and who end up as suicide bombers.

Pretty much.

Frighten Japan? When Japan has a modern, sophisticated military of its own backed up by the only super-power in the world?

At least actions like these go a long way in helping to convince the Japanese public of the need to "re-arm." Nakatani's job keeps getting easier and easier thanks to the fools in the CPC.

The comment section of Japan Today continues to amuse me. Somehow AS is the victim of Abe's clique for printing stories that proved to be factually untrue, and waiting over a decade to retract the stories.

Regardless on where you stand on the issue, AS's conduct in handling this issue was one of gross irresponsibility.

I don't really like gambling, or the idea of casinos coming to Japan, but I've seen the transformation that Atlantic city is undergoing right now.

Sure, it attracts a whole lot of vice. However, it enriches the city its located in. Atlantic City has benefited from better neighborhoods, more public services, and jobs.

So long as these casinos are located outside of the bigger cities (Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Hokkaido), I think they could really work in Japan and further assist with regional revitalization.

Okinawa was not using all of the development money, and Onaga is threatening to keep the Futenma base right where it is.

Onaga was voted in by a wide margin last year simply because of his anti-base stance.

It wasn't a wide margin. Only around 50-60% of Okinawan voters voted, and of that, only around 40%-50% of those voted for Onaga. If Abe does not have a public mandate, its hard for Onaga to claim one.

When I first read this story, it broke my heart. What an unimaginably horrible thing to have happened to someone. She is totally not to blame, no one asks to be raped or abused like that. I hope she'll find healing and happiness after this ordeal.

We're all praying for you, girl.

On a more angry note, the criminals are monsters, and I hope they live the rest of their, hopefully short, lives in absolute pain and misery.

Too bad they elected the candidate who will attempt to ensure that the base will stay right where it is.

Japan the next People's Republic of China? Really? Talk about out of touch.

Asahi is to blame. The right was always going to jump all over them if they issued a retraction on politically charged topics. A better thing to have done was never publish these articles at all, and instead stick to the myriad of evidence that prove the existence of comfort women so as not to give the revisionists any ammunition. But Asahi did not do that. They published hearsay that proved to be false, and then didn't offer a retraction for almost two decades.

They brought all the heat onto themselves for, essentially, publishing lies. The IJA did conscript sex slaves, but you can't publish articles based on a source that is not credible. Especially when you are trying to present these articles as factual.

At worst, its a victory for the revisionists. It is not a defeat for press freedom.

"A chill wind is blowing through Japan’s media as a resurgent right pressures the country’s liberal voices, in what analysts say presents a threat to democracy as voters prepare to head to the polls for a general election."

Really? The right that was looking to sweep 300 seats in the elections? Give me a break.

Great idea, close down Futenma, and get the 8-9000 marines off of Okinawa thereby easing the burden of the Okinawan people. Then news like this won't be so high profile.

Oh, wait. Self-serving politicians like Onaga decided to play on emotions instead of logic, and will only offer the people of the prefecture the status quo. For shame.

@AramaTaihenNoYouDidnt

Abenomics did not include the tax hike. The DPJ proposed and passed the tax bill a few years ago -- it wasn't part of his economic plan, it wasn't even implemented by the LDP.

Abenomics would have seen solid growth numbers this year without the tax hike, which is both necessary but inconvenient (time-wise).

The last time they said this was November 2013.

Here's hoping they can put a cap on this practice, and soon, but I remain pretty skeptical.

Absolutely ridiculous and frivolous lawsuit. 500,000yen in damages, gimme a break.

Just go to a different prefecture like the other daigakusei.

And all the people complaining about the Henoko facility fails to realize that by agreeing on Henoko, around 8,000 Marines will be removed from Okinawa, and the world's most dangerous air base will be closed down.

Unaga is self-serving, and if he moves to block the removal of the base(s) then he is merely giving the Okinawans the status quo. At least Abe and the central government were achieving tangible results in lifting Okinawa's burden. This next guy is going to do nothing for them.

The US is not leaving Okinawa anytime soon. It is too central to US interests in Asia. A slow withdrawal, and troop consolidation is the only way for the prefecture.

Seems real strange. Analysts were forecasting 2.1 growth this quarter. I wonder how its so far off.

Abenomics works. The economy was on a steady recovery until the tax hike. The tax hike was not part of Abenomics, but instead a necessary move to balance the books.

That being said, perhaps I would have postponed the first one until 2015, or later. Jumping the gun on that was not a good move.

@kwatt,

Don't take it too personally. Xi needed to that so the Chinese populace could accept the meeting. If he was seen as too friendly or concilliatory, that media campaign that flamed the winds of anti-Japanese sentiment would have hurt Xi's prestige and public support.

In any case, the next step is that things get back to normal, somewhat. Ministerial talks resume, but things will remain icy.