What is the best way to resolve the Futenma base relocation problem?

Hato-chan and Kim Jong Ill with pistols at 10 paces. Make sure the pipsqueak's pistol is missing it's firing pin. If lil Kim goes down no bases are necessary.

Through Public Consensus (Political Consensus of ruling party is known).

Stop complaining about it.

Do nothing. LDP sat on the issue for years, why should the DPJ have to solve it immediately?

It's very simple. Move all the marines to Guam or somewhere else - into the ocean if necessary. If they stay, the US should pay ALL costs for maintaining the base there plus an annual reikin of, oh, about 10 billion yen or so.

Well if Japan was willing to give up its "Most Favored Country" status this issue would resolve itself very quickly....

The Japanese government can buy the going-broke Huis Ten Bosch theme park in Sasebo right next to the Hario Housing area and move the Futenma base there. Solves two problems at once.

Why not just let it be were it is? The problems that the locals encounter with the military is going to be the same anywhere unless the base is moved to a deserted island. The Japanese government should compensate Okinawa Prefecture and the locals by having the U.S. military there. Also, the Japanese government should listen to the locals plights (Ryukyu independence movement, the real issue-not Futenma base). Why waste tax payers money of a couple billions to move the base to another location?

The problems that the locals encounter with the military is going to be the same anywhere unless the base is moved to a deserted island.

That's why it should be located at shimoji island south of Okinawa where an unused airstrip already exists... and it is practically deserted there. Just needs a small BX/Commissary and a couple dormitories and fence to keep the marines from committing crimes against the 70 locals on the island.

Go with Osaka Governor's idea of locating them to Kansai International Airport. I like Ajipon2's idea of moving them to Huis Ten Buis, too. Give the Okinawan's a break for once. Shikoku could use some more people and money, too. Spread the pain as well as the benefits around a bit more.

Anywhere near Tokyo or Osaka would be fine.

It's very simple. Move all the marines to Guam or somewhere else - into the ocean if necessary. If they stay, the US should pay ALL costs for maintaining the base there plus an annual reikin of, oh, about 10 billion yen or so.

This is the kind of sentiment that needs to be exterminated by a foreign power. To further that cause, bring ALL US MILITARY BACK TO THE US. The US is doing Japan a FAVOR. They don't want to foot the bill for quartering and letting the force train, fine. Leave. Completely.

What kindof deal is that? Hey, can you be prepared to help and or fight our Wars for us? Oh, and also, can you pay us to keep the force here to accomplish that? Can you also have these Marines be quieter at night, and in their off time do social service, and... blah blah blah. Goodbye. Forget Guam. Bring our Soldier's back to America and let the Empire of the rising sun field it's own force.

moderater,did Hatoyama ask JT to put this question to us,because he doesn't seem to have any idea himself.

That's why it should be located at shimoji island south of Okinawa where an unused airstrip already exists... and it is practically deserted there. Just needs a small BX/Commissary and a couple dormitories

from: vulcan at 05:02 PM JST - 30th March

haha, you are kidding right? the U.S. military would move about 2500 personnel from Futenma, PLUS their families, PLUS civilian workers, PLUS contractors. That totals up to probably 4,000 or 5,000 personnel. Along with all those families and personnel you will need a very good commissary and Base Exchange and other facilitie such as laundry/dry cleaner, chapel, education center, library, post office, radio/television station, movie theater, medical clinic and dental clinic, Enlisted and Officers Clubs and schools for all those dependent kids. And of course, the military cannot operate without proper recreational facilities including several well lighted tennis courts, racquetball courts, gymnasium with weight room, bowling alley, softball fields, skating rink, outdoor pool, youth center, hobby shops, and most importantly an 18-hole golf course.

Having to build, maintain and staff all those additional facilities associated with a new Futenma are probably the main reason why Hatoyama and his band of misfits have figured out that if they move Futenma somewhere on the Okinawa main island, ALL of those facilities ALREADY EXIST!! IF you move it to another island, or mainland Japan, you have to build all of them!!!

islandview... that's the point.. make it an unaccompanied tour! I wrote the word "dormatories" in there for that reason.. sorry I guess I should have mentioned it should be unaccompanied. I suspect this is the reason the US wouldn't want Shimoji jima, but getting them troops off the island is the goal of the Okinawans. Young guys are full of testosterone and want to fk and fight, the young marines are tough, and brainwashed to think they are toughter than they really are. What family man wants them living in the same neighborhood near their wife or teenage daughter? Even if you didn't have a daugher them guys drink and have little respect for the avg 5ft tall Okinawan boy or old man... you can sense it when they walk straight down the sidewalk not even thinking about moving.

I'm not sure if you're joking.. but they don't need all that crap built for them. Serving your country for a year or two doesn't mean living in luxury in an ocean front luxury apt strutting around with a sense of entitlement on the host countries dime.

There are two solutions. Either cancel the defense agreement and base the marines elsewhere, or tell the head of Okinawa that he doesn't speak for all of Japan's interests. Everyone's going to have a not in my backyard attitude, but this is ridiculous.

Solution 1. Hatoyama make up your mind mate, you are making us dizzy and accomplishing nothing but defining your regime as disoriented and flakey.

Solution 2. Since when does Japan care about the locals. Check the old news footage from Okinawa, Narita etc... Governments only care when there is a political point to be gained. So you can rule our concern for the locals in any real decision making.

Solution 3. Comply with the agreement. Like it or not the locals will benefit from the influx of money and resources.

Primary Solution. Japanese voters, for the love of Pete, please elect someone with a clue how to run your country.

Japan should bow and apologize for the delay and let the U.S. to do whatever they want here in Japan. Why? Because in the end... the U.S. will decide. So this is just a circus.

how about this one:

since the biggest reason for moving the base is it's supposed risk and nuisance for the city that surrounds it try relocating the entire city instead!

it seems that in the end it would be politically cheaper and you can count on gratitude on receiving end too, who wouldn't welcome more tax paying citizens with all the government spending that comes with them and all.

better still, move only those sectors of people who are opposed to the base, as some would prefer to stay probably. if nothing it seems feasible

or is there another reason for relocation we're not being told?

Move them to Osaka's artificial island. The best of the best for okinawans and osakans.

IslandView - "ALL of those facilities ALREADY EXIST!! IF you move it to another island, or mainland Japan, you have to build all of them!!!"

No, you don't have to build all of them. That is why they should buy the old Huis Ten Bosch theme park in Sasebo and move the base there.

It is right next door to the U.S Navy's current Hario Housing for the Sasebo base and all of those facilities already do exist! No need to build them all - just extend the fence around the theme park, turn the parking lots into runways and the hotels and palaces into housing. Bingo, best Marine base in the world.

No need to relocate. Just shut it down completely. Okinawan already has lots of US bases all over the prefecture. Send the personnel to other bases or back to USA. Then there will be peace in Ginowan. No more jet flyovers so loud you cannot hear yourself think, no more helicopters crashing into the city, no more raping by grunts. Then the families can visit their family graves that are inside of the bases without asking for permission to visit their own family land.

Yes, just shut down MCAS Futenma. It is not the responsibility of the Okinawa people to provide paid bases for the Americans. These troops are for defending South Korea from the North Koreans or for deployment to one of their wars. America has no right to have bases on Okinawa. The government and people of Okinawa are demanding a smaller American presence. Perhaps the Marines could be relocated to Korea.

Relocate the base to somewhere in the wilderness or a deforested area. Since deforestation is accelerating in the southern part of Japan, giving them the "empty slots" may not be a bad idea.

Keep the plan as it is.