Do you support the planned transfer by 2014 of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam?

Sunday 12th July, 07:19 PM JST

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IchyaWarFare at 05:06 PM JST - 13th July

Okinawa is the only place where Japanese people can speak a smattering of English. Now they won't even have that.

that was sarcastic right? At least the English was crappy where I was at. It is not that bad where I am at in Japan. Hell, almost all the Izakayas and shops have English menus here.
IchyaWarFare at 05:07 PM JST - 13th July

Very welcoming move. It's about time the Okinawans suffering end! It would be even better if the Japan mainland gets its turn to have accommodate US bases.

Ummm, they do.
alphawolf at 07:01 PM JST - 13th July

Get em out of Okinawa.. I brought my brother to visit a couple years ago after a 30 yr absence. He was shocked at all the bases. We visited a traditional villiage and izakaya, both had young girl employees who "controlled the music" that was played. It was RAP! He was disappointed at the western influence.

aw
amerijap at 09:26 AM JST - 14th July

I need one condition for this resolution. It is that the Japanese government should cut down their funding to less than a tenth of what they propose($336 million) for the relocation of the facility to the US soil as well as the maintenance of its infrastructures.
inakaRob at 10:55 AM JST - 14th July

what does it really matter where they are? I mean.... If Japan ever needed our military help. Our Navy would be their first line of defense or retaliation. If Japan needed troups to defend a certian section they can send in their own froces, but I dont really see pirates or koreans, or martians landing little boats on the the coast of ishakawa trying to invade japan. I see misslis and airplanes and boats with big guns. something that little men with little guns areny going to be able to do a damn thing about. And uh.... the girls who controlled the music, listend to RAP... so what I dont think its the military bases. It might be that thing you are sitting at called a computer, or the other things sitting next to it called a TV or the OTHER thing sitting in your car called a RADIO... people listen to American RAP EVERYWHERE in the world becuase is catchy, and its popular, and some of it is even good. I dont the military bases force everyone in the world to listen to rap. The world is a smallest place my friend. I used to eat sushi in my schools caffiteria in a small town in Alabama, I dont think it was becuase the japanese military influenced us.
Kanadjin at 02:42 PM JST - 14th July

Okinawa is the only place where Japanese people can speak a smattering of English. Now they won't even have that.

News to me, after flying in from an international flight I was surprised that they could only tell me what I needed to do to go through customs in Japanese. English in Okinawa is a rarity.
TokyoHustla at 07:27 PM JST - 14th July

Move them to a country that expresses proper gratitude to have such honored guests live amongst them. The Okinawans are free because of the Marines. The Okinawans are alive because of the Marines. Asking them to leave is the greatest show of ingratitude in world history.
PeachFuzz at 09:33 PM JST - 14th July

Those who want to see the place that once resembled the real Okinawa should visit the Yaeyama Islands, not Honto, the main island. Places like Ishigaki, Miyako Jima, and Iriomote. My husband and I spent 10 idyllic days on various islands away from the tourist hubs - unforgettable!
nightflesh at 10:28 PM JST - 14th July

I don think they should go per se but I do believe that we do need to cut a bunch of land that those bases never use. Some of that land on base are 2-4 football fields long and wide sometimes and its just grass. All of the bases on the main land are very well planned and still have enough space to feel like the US. Okinawan bases are so spread apart, you can put all of the main land bases just inside Kadena AB.

Cut a good amount of the space on the bases and things would be better.
Beelzebub at 03:56 PM JST - 15th July

They've been there 64 years, I guess that's long enough. Thanks, fellas, no hard feelings, but it's time to move on.
rogerbentham at 11:47 AM JST - 16th July

okinawa and guam belongs to America.
ThonTaddeo at 03:54 PM JST - 16th July

If the bases are dismantled in favor of homes for Okinawans, fine. But my fear is that they'll be retained and occupied by the Japanese "Self-Defense" Forces, which would be a truly awful and unfair outcome. Even in 2014, there will be many Okinawans still alive who remember how the Imperial Japanese Army treated them. Unfortunately those venerable elders will be outnumbered by the hired pro-mainland-Japanese rabble from the mainland who always seem to find their way down to Okinawa when issues like these come up.
kwatt at 09:23 AM JST - 18th July

Japan doesn't need US Marines, should move to Guam. They are always going to other countries to fight. US Marines is a kind of wasting money for Japan.
hworta269 at 11:56 PM JST - 24th July

I have lived in Japan, Korea and Europe, if you attempt to learn the local language you will find that locals do know some basic engligh.
TheMarion at 11:29 PM JST - 11th October

First, Guam is not able to handle this amount of Marines and their dependents. Second, All the Military (and their dependents) should be returned to the States and this goes for all the military all over the planet Earth.