Hatoyama says he's in no hurry on U.S. base relocation deal

If they want China as a new best friend, maybe China can set up in Okinawa.

If they want China as a new best friend, maybe China can set up in Okinawa.

I'm sure China would love to make good on some of those types of arrangements.... He'll they could set up some sweat shops in the locations of the U.S. bases, bypass customs altogether, and deliver their products directly into the JN economy for 2 cents on the dollar.

Japan just wants to make very careful decision about it during peace time, not war time today. That is why no hurry. Japan would never get out of US-Japan alliance. But I wonder if Japan continues the new treaty of US-Japan security next year as the US-Japan security treaty is expired in 2010. If the US asks Japan too much, the new government of Japan might kick it.

after all, he lives here... lol

i guess he's sending a message that this decision won't be affected by what the US officials say to the media.

"No hurry"

Heck, it's better for all but the whiners who can't stand a little noise if Futenma stays right where it's been for the past 60 years, keeping Japan out of trouble.

japan doesn't know what it's doing. only America knows best.

Just like in the pevious prime ministers in Japan, If Hatoyama follows the foot steps of "I Don't Know how to make my own decision". If Japan wants to change the course of how U.S. wants to dictat and the firm U.S. Japan relations, he needs to make a firm decisons of new directions of Japan. Don't be another puppet of U.S. and make decisive decisions and don't worry about the public opinion. Hotoyama needs to grow up and let it be on how future course is going to take of Japan.

"japan doesn't know what it's doing. only America knows best."

Wow I've seen trolling before, but Wow!

Sarge at 09:16 PM JST - 25th October "No hurry" Heck, it's better for all but the whiners who can't stand a little noise if Futenma stays right where it's been for the past 60 years, keeping Japan out of trouble.

You have GOT to be kidding me? I hope this is internet sarcasm. Futenma is the most horribly located base in Japan. Surrounded by schools, homes, etc, it's insanely noisy, dangerous, (crashing helicopters) and it blocks any route in the area for local residents. It does nearly nothing for security of Okinawa. That's what Kadena is for. It's waaaaaaay past time to close that place down. Even the Military is trying to close Futenma, they don't want it there either!

Sarge-"keeping Japan out of trouble." The US is not the best of bed-fellows.

Cripes, you could do a hell of a lot worse than the US as a partner.

Numerous studies have shown that as badly behaved as soldiers tend to be, they commit crimes at much lower rates than the public at large. People just don't want them around in the first place and latch on to any crime as justification for wanting to get rid of them.

“I will make the final decision after listening to a variety of opinions. I don’t think I have to hurry up to make the decision before President Obama visits Japan on Nov 12-13.”

Haha... but here's betting he will. Or at least, he'll agree while Obama is here and then tell the J-media he's still thinking.

they commit crimes at much lower rates than the public at large.

Not really.. not if you include the crimes "hidden" from public knowledge.. the ones that are committed on base which is where at least 90% of the troops spend 90% of thier day. Percentage wise, very few troops are really downtown all the time... so they comparatively commit little crime when you compare just numbers. 1000 service men living downtown or partying downtown, will commit less crime than a local population of 1.3 million people who live off base.

aw

AW: I wasn't talking about gross number of crimes, I was talking about rates of crime (that means crimes per person). This has been studied many, many times and the rates are always dramatically lower. As well it should be, the UCMJ is not lenient - and if you get thrown out of the military you are seriously damaging your future job prospects.

Also, I can assure you that includes crimes committed on base - which the military tracks rigorously.

I seriously doubt that any of you who are posting on this subject were even alive when all this happened. When I came aboard Okinawa there was not a single building standing anywhere on the isalnd and the Futenma area was a Japanese headquarters with a bombed out barracks sitting where the airstrip is now. You should remember that Japan picked this area, rather than subject the four main islands to defend and the Americans soon leveled the whole of the island. We also destroyed most of the four main islands of Japan and killed hundreds of thousands of the Japanese populous. We then returned and helped you to rebuild and stayed to protect the Japanese who would never win a popularity contest. And now you piss and moan - Why don't you remember that you started this and frankly, we have been trying to help you rebuild for the past 64 years. Hell, it is time for us to go home and take care of our own country............

Marion, you're right..it's time for us to go home and take care of our own country. We have 865 military installations overseas according to the Pentagon and it cost us 260 Billion a year to fund them. BTW: Russia and China have 0, none, zero bases overseas. The price of hegemony/empire is bankrupting the US.... I say let the Japanese fend for themselves, they got the money.. all they need is a draft.

As far as Futenma Air Base, it was occupied by farmers. My mother was born where the hangar is next to the back gate.. and during the war lived in the cave, outside and to the right of that back gate in the village of Samashita.. So....although there were no skyscrapers or concrete bldgs where Futemna AB was, it was all confiscated by the US military and taken from the local farmers and other inhabitants.

aw