Defense chief to probe how Futenma accord was reached

Sunday 27th September, 06:46 AM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

› Login to comment

14 Comments

Mookoo at 08:56 AM JST - 27th September

It sounds so reasonable I feel I'm in the twilight zone. This new government is really something!
stirfry at 08:56 AM JST - 27th September

more likely he can't understand why he never got his bribe money for looking the other way
mindovermatter at 10:24 AM JST - 27th September

Bottom Line: Don't Start wars of Aggression and you'll never have to worry about being occupied...
TheMarion at 10:48 AM JST - 27th September

The whole mess could be solved so easy - all you have to do is move the United States military from Okinawa and send the whole shibang back to the United States and allow them to wave at Guam as they pass it. After all, we have been there for better than 65 years and it is time to go home.
YuriOtani at 01:24 PM JST - 27th September

mindovermatter, the Okinawa people did not start the war. Why do they have to bear the burden of American Troops? Have rapes done to them, have violent crimes committed and home invasions. To think of it in a correct fashion think of Japanese bases on Hawaii taking up a large portion of it. Japanese bases in California and Texas, more bases in your capital and the big base in Norfolk being Japanese. The people of Okinawa should decide base issues and not a foreign power still thumping its chest over its victory 64 years ago!
captainjohann at 01:48 PM JST - 27th September

hi all, You guys must accept the truth. THE TRUTH IS YOU HAVE AMERICAN NUCLEAR UMBRELLA TO PROTECT YOU FROM CHINA AND NORTH KOREA OR ANY OTHER. Once you have genuine independence by arming yourself , then onbly you can crib about American bases.
zhazam05 at 02:40 PM JST - 27th September

And just what will the locals do for INCOME When these bases are put into mothballs?Open up shave ice stands?the local economy will be financially "Nuked" when the bases are closed!I would brush up on my chinese/korean language now in order to beat the rush!!!
YuriOtani at 04:03 PM JST - 27th September

zhazam05, it is not about income much of it going to mainland firms. A lot of the rentals are owned by them as well. The people of Okinawa want to live in their home unmolested by foreign troops. Yes the bases put forward a lot of pressure for the Okinawa people to conform to American values. One of them called me once and wanted confidential firm records. He demanded these records because of his position in the American government. I gave him our firms phone number to our lawyer. Never heard from him again. He tried to get me to break Japanese law. captainjohann, we need troops to protect us from the American ones. China has nothing to gain by nuking Japan. It would loose a big market and supplier and get the rest of the world mad at them. We already have a defense force and if we must could expand it. I ask my Defense Minister to stand by his pledge to remove the American Troops without making a new base in Japan. If the Americans need a base they could put one of their small carriers near Okinawa in the case of war.
gogogo at 04:15 PM JST - 27th September

Seems all the new government is doing is complaining about the old one.
Mookoo at 04:30 PM JST - 27th September

Complaining? A fact-finding mission, some research on the issue is the least the new minister can do. He's doing his job, and looking into the roots and causes of a major stress point. A fine start. Let's hope he keeps working like this. Already a breath of fresh air...
gogogo at 06:44 PM JST - 27th September

Mookoo: It just sounds like an excuse for not doing work, complaining about the problem rather than fixing it, Japanese are famous for it.
YuriOtani at 12:25 PM JST - 28th September

It is our country! The Americans do not have the right to bases here against the will of the people and its sovereign government. I look forward to Japan taking over running Pearl Harbor after the bankrupt government is forced to sell the rights for money. Our government has changed and policies change as well. The will of the people have spoken and it demands that no new bases will be built! What is so hard to understand? President Obama has reversed himself about missile defense leaving a angry Poland. So you are all telling be it is wrong for others to break agreements but ok for America?
illsayit at 08:52 AM JST - 29th September

Go Yuirtani, Im on your side. I worry though when we start to take things to a morale level, applying that logic to places like, um, China, how the people are holding out. I think Americans fight because their situation is dire-as another article I read here today, had a message of. Also why America could go home. Or should we start talking about their little activities in Nth Australia.
YuriOtani at 02:41 PM JST - 29th September

The morale point really does not apply. Two wrongs do not make a right and if Americans want to take the "high road" they need to aspire to a higher calling not a lower one. Japan has made mistakes in the past but so have the Americans.
Our Defense Minister and new Government as well as the Americans need to deal with the present and not the past. It is not right to keep bases in a country where they are not wanted. Right is right and wrong is wrong. American needs to "step up to the plate" and show the world that it is a better democracy and not justly its actions by old actions.