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What do you think of the revised plan to realign U.S. forces in Japan by sending some Marines to Guam, and rotating others to Australia, the Philippines, Hawaii and possibly Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefe

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Come on down to Australia, it will bring some money to Darwin and give the opportunity to use some nice toys in training (not that id complaining about our current equipment funding levels....much)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Okinawa will suffer financially once the US pulls out.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The Close Futenma Activists are already wining that this is an unfair tactic to take the focus off closing Futenma completely. You would think they would be happy about any progress, but they could really care less about the people of Okinawa, they are all about their own agenda and playing politics.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

get those guys out of here!

The economical impact of all the Military on Okinawa, beneficial to locals is only 5% in total. So some of them leaving still only closes a few coffeehouses.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Jan you are mistaken.

Thousands of Japanese nationals employed on the bases or directly involved with them from supplies to , food etc. will join the unemployment lines.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Have you any idea how much money would be made if/when the US bases in Okinawa were returned to their rightful owners?

Imagine that Waikiki was a military installation.

How much money would Waikiki make for a few Hawaiian locals driving buses and serving in the fast food joints as a military installation?

As it is, it is making huge money from the tourist industry.

Okinawa is a similar place.

Futenma is a prime residential district and Kadena is a great spot for tourism.

The money made by a few supermarket baggers at the PX is peanuts compared to the money that would be made from new tourist facilities, hotels, restaurants, shops, houses in Futenma and Kadena particularly.

Construction workers, hotel, restaurant, shop staff, would make money, the investors would make money.

Okinawans would benefit enormously from a US military withdrawal.

As it is, they are losing money by having them here.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

The revised plan get a few marines out of Okinawa, so in THEORY the locals shud be happy..........................but....

Then the US can just continue using Futenma, because the J-govt & Okinawa govts will just continue to bicker for decades on end, no one can make a decision so it seems the Yanks have kind of done it for them in such a way that it takes some of the wind outta the Okinawa govts sails.

Pretty smart move, now the US can carry on, do a little to help the Okinawans & I bet they just want to get onto day to day stuff & forget having to watch the locals waste their time away.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The Marines going to Guam and Hawaii are lucky.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Must be a typo in this headline. Jean--- among others, were posting here a few days ago saying all countries wanted U.S. troops out. Because their presence was not required, with China not being a real threat. Guess real leaders, and not arm-chair defense secretaries, see it differently, since Australia and the Philippines are part of the plan.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The Marines going to Guam and Hawaii are lucky.

The ones going to Darwin had better learn how to drink - none of that American light beer there...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

If the Okinawans don't want US forces, they should not be forced to have them.

As an American I wish America would leave all foreign bases and quit this pseudo empire business.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Okinawans would benefit enormously from a US military withdrawal.

Need to add the words "a few" to your statement. As in, A few Okinawans would benefit enormously from a US military withdrawal.

How would people in Nago benefit?

What about people in Itoman or Chinen?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I say pull them all out and send them home. If the country doesnt want them dont force them on the people. Part of the problem is no one is explaining the political reasons why these bases are in JP so the people dont understand. SO yeah the US should just take them all back, pack up and conserve their forces. It'll save money in the long run.

I'm so tired of hearing people complain about the bases and that they need to move. I say if they dont want them there, leave. Then after time passes and they suddenly change their minds. Make them pay to get the bases back.

Cuz after the US bases are gone then they'll complain about the SDF.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Totally agree, Al Stewart.

"Pull them out and send them home!"

Just watched the political "debate" on this issue on NHK today.

It seems that the Honshu politicians have the idea that all they have to do is convince the Okinawans that having US bases in OKINAWA to defend JAPAN is a good idea.

What makes this difficult is that Okinawans don't consider themselves to be Japanese. They kind of do, but they don't really. They became part of Japan unwillingly, suffered the Japanese attempts to kill their culture by forbidding them to speak their own language and lost thousands of people trying to defend Japan in WWII.

Then they had to bear with the US military occupation.

Haven't they taken enough?

Time for the US military to leave.

Bye, guys!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

How would people in Nago benefit?

What about people in Itoman or Chinen?

People in Nago would benefit because the enormous land used by the US forces in Kadena and so on would provide work for thousands of people in that area. Construction workers, people working in tourist facilities, new hotels, restaurants, etc.

Itoman and Chinen are not that far from areas used by US forces at present.

It would be a HUGE benefit for Okinawan people to have their lands returned.

It would also return the responsibility for the defense of these islands to Japan, which makes MUCH more sense than have having the US "defend" them.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

How would people in Nago benefit?

The sprawling size of the bases alone should indicate that the economic efficiency of every square meter of land is EXTREMELY low. They could probably raise horses on the land and get a better return just for selling the MANURE!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

MaboDofuIsSpicy

Thousands of Japanese nationals employed on the bases or directly involved with them from supplies to , food etc. will join the unemployment lines.

In a way they are already in since the US does not pay their salary, the J Government does. It's funneled through the Omoiyari Yosan so it really doesn't matter that much.

In fact the US hurts more then Japan since when they bring them homeside, it will be the US government's responsibility to provide them housing and maintenance fee for the bases they work in not JP.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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