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Would You Want 30 Military Bases In Your Backyard?

That’s the question asked by this full-page advertisement in the April 28th edition of the Washington Post [click to view full size]:

The advertisement was paid for by pacifist and environmentalist groups. Oddly enough, despite the fact that the existing relocation plan would not increase the number of military bases in Okinawa, the wording in the advertisement seems to imply that they are opposing the addition of another “new” base.

Here are a few videos about the issue. First, we have an Al Jazeera English report that has a panel representing some of the views about the Futenma relocation plan:

And here is about noise pollution video produced by the city of Ginowan (home of Futenma Air Station):

When Futenma was originally constructed in 1945, the area around it was largely empty. The economic benefits of the base attracted Okinawans, and eventually the base came to be surrounded by a city. In recent decades, the people who intentionally built houses and schools next to the air station began to loudly complainabout the noise levels and crime produced by the base. The United States and Japanese governments spent years negotiating over the issue, and the plan to close Futenma and add airfields to Camp Schwab was agreed to in 2005 (with the consent of local mayors).

Since Prime Minister Hatoyama took power, he has tried to fufill his campaign promise to change the relocation plan so that Futenma’s troops and helicopters are moved to somewhere other than Okinawa. So far, he has achieved nothing, managing to anger voters across Japan with his utter inability to make a decisive decision on the manner. Hatoyama’s failure to come up with a viable alternative to the current Futenma relocation plan has also angered the United States government. Hatoyama has promised that he will find a solution by the end of May, but there is no sign that any progress will be made. The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Okinawa on Tuesday, where it is expected that he will be local leaders to accept a plan that accept a plan that will relocate Futenma to Camp Schwab with less environmental impact than the existing plan:

The prospects for his plan are dim because local residents on Okinawa are still hoping Hatoyama will boot Futenma from the prefecture, making good on a pledge he made in last year’s election. What’s more, most of the residents on Tokunoshima Island appear dead set against hosting any U.S. military facility.

In Naha, Nakaima on Friday said he was displeased with the reported plan to keep the base in Okinawa.

“I wonder by what process the government ended up with a plan to move it within the prefecture against the campaign pledge,” he said. “I wonder how seriously the government examined a relocation site outside Okinawa.”

The latest polls show that Hatoyama’s approval ratings have dropped to 20%, and many voters have expressed a desire to see Hatoyama resign if he fails to reach a satisfactory decision on the Futenma issue by the end of May.

—

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50 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - May 1, 2010 at 7:09 am

Categories: Foreigners in Japan, Politics Tags:

WC

I think it’s poetic that these people want to destroy the very thing that gave them prosperity in the first place. As you say, they wouldn’t be there if the bases weren’t, and now they complain about them.

However, I don’t want our troops there any more than they do.

Fat Tony

Ahhh yes. Prosperity. What, of course is not mentioned in the lovely and simplistic narrative presented here is that Okinawa was very much a real colony of the United States until 1972. Okinawans had to get permission to even go to Japan, and there was virtually no travel from the mainland to the islands. Given that Okinawa’s traditional role was a trade center, and most of its non-base related income now comes from tourism, it would be pretty hard for people who could not leave the island to find any work other than base-related stuff if these options weren’t available. And so the community grew. And like communities everywhere, once it grew, and once the economic linkages were established, it was hard for people to leave.

Next question? How about we deconstruct the rape statistics?

John

Yes I would.
Todd

This kind of simplistic reporting on the base issue really does not do anything to inform people. Naha City itself was home to many US military facilities after WWII, and southern Okinawa was badly damaged and militarized. As Ginowan (where Futenma Air Station is located) is Naha’s neighbor to the north (and in better condition after the war), it was only natural for development to move in that direction when things began to get better. The Okinawan people did not have many choices where to build. Up until reversion to Japan, there were far more US facilities than there are today. Even a decade ago there were more. Smaller cities springing up around a region’s capital when that city becomes crowded?! You write as though this is something unique to Okinawa.
Level3

But it’s the same old problem.
People who protest like this are the ones with free time.
The people who want to keep the base (the ones who have businesses and employ people, and the employees who depend on the economic activity generated by the base) are too busy to get political and hold marches to support their side.

And can the protestor types at least be honest? It’s not about the noise.
Are there similar campaigns from the Okinawans themselves compaining about the noise at Naha Airport? There aren’t similar campaigns by people living near noisy urban airports (Itami in Osaka), are there?

Where do they get this “30 bases” number? Are there really 30 separate bases in Okinawa? Are they counting like, weather stations manned by 2 people as a “base”? Seriously, any help on this point? Willing to listen.

Since they don’t actually care about the noise, ignore the consequences to their economy, and like to make shit up; what am I supposed to assume about them and their actual motivations? And what is their plan to provide relief to the Okinawans who will become unemployed if the bases leave? You can be sure there will be protests against the development of any emptied bases. By the same people?

But hey, maybe most of the people alive in Okinawa these days don’t remember the war, and what it was like to have a REAL military occupation and the real inconvenience of being told to jump off a cliff by the local soldiers.
Level3

Guess these days, most of the protestors don’t have the perspective of exeriencing a REAL military occupation, with accompanying inconvenience of soldiers telling you to jump off a cliff before the American “barbarians” arrive.

And the complaint now is, “Ooh, those planes are noisy” ?!?!

Where does the “30 bases” number come from? Are they, like, counting 2 dudes in a remote radar tower as a “base” or something? Does a small residence complex count as a “base”, where the loudest noise is a lawnmower? Anyone?

Are there similar protests about the busy Naha Airport, and the plans to add a second runway? No? What a surprise.

Kevin not kevin

Congratulations! 10 Bonus Points for most clueless post of the day.

Perhaps you haven’t put two and two together that maybe, just maybe, some of these people have experienced both Japanese and American occupation of their land? Not to mention that the residents of this area don’t need ANY kind of additional perspective to determine that they don’t want the US troops stationed there.

And sadly, noise is probably the only real point of indisputable evidence that these people have to try and get the bases of the island. The US wants them there, and Kasumigaseki wants them there, but the residents have no say in the matter. Showing the horrible living conditions caused by jet noise is something that residents can measure and physically prove as being harmful. If you think that air field noise is just a minor concern, I suggest you rewatch the above video. Turn up your speakers too, because when a jet passes overhead you better believe you’re not going to hear a damn thing.

And please, learn how to use a search engine:
US Military Bases in Okinawa
You may be able to argue that each of these facilities doesn’t constitute a base, but you can in no way argue with the fact that there are military facilities, where training takes place, all over the island – facilities that the people don’t want.

http://billowykimono.blogspot.com/ Senor Science

This is just as pathetic and awful as those DOKDO IS OURS full page advertisements that Korean nationalists buy in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.
gaijin

It’s not uncommon for even civilian airports in the U.S. to be initially developed outside of the larger metropolitan areas and then latter to be surrounded by irate newcomers demanding that the airport to be relocated. I think this is a common friction point and really has nothing to do with strictly a Japanese/U.S. issue.

It’s my understanding that the U.S. at the end of world war 2 signed a treaty with the Japanese government and signed by the emperor himself that gives the right to put U.S. bases whenever and wherever it so choses in-perpetuity. It seems as though by this treaty the U.S. has a legal right to put a base in the middle of Ginza and relocate everyone there without compensation if it chose. Luckily the U.S. is much more reasonable than this and was going to relocate some Marines to Guam to ease the burden on the locals in Okinawa. It took a long and lengthy process for the former LDP government to get the U.S. to make this small concession. Now it seems that the Hatoyama government has sabotaged all of this and it’s back to square one. I realize that there are ever so many Japanese nationals that may not be satisfied with this one sided treaty that was agreed to over 60 years ago. But nonetheless it was agreed to and in-perpetuity. So like it or not America is here to stay.

There is nothing I believe in this treaty that requires the Japanese government to pay compensation for hosting these bases so this has always been the small leverage that Japan has when it negotiates things with the U.S. The nuclear umbrella and continuing protection from Asian invasion is what the U.S. brings on it’s side to the table. If the U.S. suddenly pulled everything out of Japan it wouldn’t be long before either Chinese or North Korean forces moved in. If the Japanese government completely stops paying compensation for hosting U.S. forces this is always one of the threats on the U.S. side. So Japan doesn’t threaten to completely stop compensation but only tries to negotiates what they get in exchange for what they have to pay. It’s very difficult to negotiate when one side has all of the power which the U.S. most certainly does. That was the outcome at the end of the war and it is going to continue to be the outcome in-perpetuity. Luckily for Japan the U.S. is nothing like Russia, China, or North Korea. Japan really seems to be unofficial 51st. state of the United States of America. I believe this is the actual reality but it is just reported in the Japanese mass media as directly as I’ve stated it because it’s too depressing for Japanese nationalists that want to live in a state of denial that there still is something supreme and divine about the nation of Japan.

100,000 Okinawan’s recently demonstrated against the bases in Okinawa. Good for them! The U.S. is a democracy and tolerates peaceful protests and demonstrations in it’s states and territories. I’m surprised they didn’t burn any American flags I believe the U.S. supreme court even allows this as a freedom of expression.

Rune

If the U.S. suddenly pulled everything out of Japan it wouldn’t be long before either Chinese or North Korean forces moved in.

That is the most blithely ignorant statement and I am ever astounded when silly fairytale arguments like this stands unopposed in a debate. Well, consider them opposed. China would not rock the boat by moving against Japan militarily, they have far too much to lose vs. any potential gain. China cannot exist without international trade, do you think there will be no embargoes should China move against Japan. Of course, the west would also be hit hard by an embargo on Chinese manufactured goods and sale to China, but believe you me, the Indians and other countries will be eager to provide the cheap-as-dirt labour pool needed. The Norks would not move either. They would be unable to hold their conquest, even if they were able to invade. Yes, the Norks have many people under arms, but they do not have the resources to invade an island nation like Japan. Furthermore, even if the US were to withdraw from Japan and sever it’s defence obligations, it could not stand idly by and watch the Norks invade and piss down the US’s back. So, as I said, blithely ignorant.

As to nuclear umbrella, you really don’t understand very much do you?

gaijin

The Chinese would undoubtedly just move in and use some excuse such we are protecting Japan from North Korean invasion since the U.S. is no longer offering it’s services. Or Visa Versa. If it weren’t for clear communication that a Taiwan invasion would also lead to swift retribution China would take over Taiwan well.

If the U.S. defense obligations to defend Japan were somehow severed the U.S. would sit idly by and watch China or North Korea invade. That’s why the U.S. isn’t going to idly let its defense obligations to be severed. It’s all really a mute point because the U.S. isn’t going anywhere out of Japan anytime soon or in the distant future. The case was completely different in the Philippines when the U.S. closed down Subic bay. It didn’t really leave or close Subic bay because of protests. The base was no longer strategically necessary for the U.S. and the logistics of maintaining were no longer financially justifiable. The fact that there were large scale protests was convenient timing for the U.S. exit stage left.

The North Koreans have every resource capable of invading Japan. With Japan’s present defense capabilities it wouldn’t last but a few days on it’s own.

The nuclear umbrella is exactly what it implies. It extends over certain implied allies of the U.S. directly and indirectly. It doesn’t extend over every country or territory in the world but it certainly and absolutely extends over Japan at the present time. As to whether it extends over countries such as Taiwan is a fuzzy question. I tend to believe that it doesn’t but the U.S. plays a bluff game trying indirectly communicate to China that it does.

It seems that you tend to believe that China and North Korea do not have ambitions of expansion. Maybe it would be better to include some Tibetans in this conversation. I’m sure they could explain how quickly, arbitrarily, and ruthlessly China does move in when given the chance. North Korea likewise would love nothing more than to roll into South Korea reunite with their brethren and then take a little revenge on Japan and it’s entire population. I truly think the world you live in is “blithely ignorant” of the reality of the real world. I would also say that while I do not understand everything I certainly have a better understanding than you.

James Bong

“Would You Want 30 Military Bases In Your Backyard?”

That’s the question the Japanese people should have asked themselves when they were busy burying their heads in the sand and allowing an imperialist totalitarian regime to achieve absolute power over them and declare war on the rest of Asia.

Hindsight’s still not 20/20 in this case I guess.
pablo_de_carlos

I would like to know which scenario the majority of Japanese citizens prefer:

(1) 50,000 United States troops on Japanese soil

or

(2) 50,000(or more) Chinese People’s Liberation Army soldiers on Japanese soil

or

(3) 50,000 Japanese troops on foreign soil
hoihoi

Hatoyama is pretending….
there is no place for Us bases. it means USforce get out from Japan
Vonskippy

Can the Japanese really be so stupid to think they would be better off without a US Military presence?

Didn’t they just wet their pants because a Chinese helicopter buzzed one of their so called military ships?

Who do they think are protecting them from having Chinese or Korean occupation forces plow thru their Country?

The JSDF?

Get real.

helical

I know you’re just mostly trolling, but there’s a wide spectrum of opinions.
Of course “Japan” is going to seem confused and contradictory if you lump the head-in-the-sand crowd that thinks any and all military is just plain evil, with the folks on the other end of the spectrum wishing the US military out so Japan can assert its own military presence in the area, and everything in between.
Niels

Actually, I think the world economy is protecting them from a Chinese or Korean occupation.
If China or Korea had expansionist dreams, other countries in Asia would have fallen already.
You live the illusion of American imperialism.

Magus

The post Cold War era world no longer needs troops to physically occupy a land to be a threat. In the modern world, soft power is king. Without the US military there, North Korea would be free to harass the JSDF, and China would have significantly more influence over Japanese politics than they do now. It’s much harder to negotiate on even ground when you have a massive military force sailing its boats and subs (and soon to be aircraft carriers) around your home, just ask Taiwan.

And on that note, Taiwan is another reason the US is not going to up and leave Japan. If the US leaves Japan, China will feel free to do as they please with Taiwan. If the US or Japan lose Taiwan, we’ve lost the entire eastern hemisphere to Chinese hegemony in the long run. The US forces in Japan and South Korea keep China’s influence behind the first island chain (Taiwan and southern Okinawa), and this is vitally important to maintain the current balance of power in the US’s favor.

This is not some American imperialist illusion, this is the reality of modern power struggles and politics. Nothing is done through brute, physical force. But if you’re not on your toes, you’ll be on the receiving end of increased bullying, political pressure, and military harassment. Just ask Thailand or India or Bhutan how they feel about the People’s Liberation Army.

Max

Even during a crisis the US wants to increase its imperial presence around the world. Bill Maher paraphrased: “What’s really the use of this expensive boat when the family spends more than it makes”.
Magus

There ‘ought to be some compromises.

Firstly, the Okinawans need to deal with the fact that there is noise. It’s there. but it’s a small price to pay for the fact that the US military bases bring gigantic economic impact and defensive protection without requiring Japanese citizens to put their lives on the line.

The concession that the US needs to make, however, is to deal with crime. There should be zero crime on foreign soil by American troops. If an American troop commits a single crime in a foreign country while actively serving, they should at least be immediately put on the next plane back to the US, and at worst be dishonorably discharged. There is no excuse for crime. The US military is not being paid poorly, they get great benefits when they return to the US, and troops in Japan have it about a gazillion times better than troops that are serving in real war zones. These soldiers do not only enjoy a pretty good standard of living, but they represent the US as a country. Any misdeeds by the troops of a nation tarnish the reputation of that whole nation. There is absolutely no excuse for any crime whatsoever committed by the US troops in Japan.

I’m not Japanese and I don’t live in Okinawa, but think if the Japanese people got an absolute, for real, true commitment to bring the US military crime down to absolutely zero, and the US military actually followed through on that commitment, it would be a lot easier for Okinawans to accept the US military bases there.

Kevin not kevin

How can you possibly say the noise is something that the residents should just ‘deal with.’ When was the last time you had jets and helicopters flying literally a couple hundred feet from your house? It has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that prolonged exposure to noise of that volume has a negative physical impact. If anything, the noise is one of the most severe problems stemming from the military bases. People can’t live with that kind of constant overwhelming sound, and particularly for children, it can’t be healthy for their development or hearing.

http://whatjapanthinks.com Ken Y-N

So, why don’t the residents sue their local government for building an elementary school right at the end of the runway? Remember, the base, not the town, was there first.

It would be interesting to see if anyone can get historical information on the volume of flights in and out over the years.

Kevin not kevin

This isn’t correct. Survivors of the area were relocated to concentration camps and returned to their homes to find the land completely taken over by the US military. They lost their land and ended up having to live next to the bases.

You can read about this issue by Prof. Yoshio Shimoji:
http://peacephilosophy.blogspot.com/2010/04/futenma-issue-as-seen-from-okinawan.html
Kevin not kevin

Wow, 3 thumbs down about a factual account of how Okinawans were forcibly removed from their land to make room for a military base. I think that pretty much sums up everything.

I guess if you can sympathize with that, then I guess I can see how ‘dealing with’ constant exposure to debilitating noise could be a piece of cake.
http://billowykimono.blogspot.com/ Senor Science

American run concentration camps in Okinawa? I’m calling BS on that one.

A quick google search of “Okinawa concentration camps” brought up the same article written by some head honcho at the JCP, and we all know they have an agenda.
Tomdar

Even if you want to incorrectly argue that the military base was there first, the same type of argument could be used to say that Israel shouldn’t exist because it was founded on territory already occupied by Palestinians. This isn’t a question of first come first serve; instead the focus should be more on addressing the very real grievances of the people who need to live daily with the problems that come from having an air base in close vicinity.
Kevin not kevin

Okinawa-
“where most of the arable land had been razed and where much of the island’s population remained in internment camps for several years.”

The American Occupation of Japan and Okinawa
by Michael S. Molasky
http://books.google.co.jp/books?id=RMDt86cokDUC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

The population may have been dependent on the US soldiers for food, but they probably didn’t think that all of their land would have been a permanent military base after getting back. So much for that agenda, right?
Kevin not kevin

Page 18 if you want to read for yourself, by the way.
http://www.japanprobe.com James

I must say, it is quite interesting to see the balance of up and down votes on the comments here. Looks like the readership is almost split down the middle.

To Kevin not kevin:

Survivors of the area were relocated to concentration camps and returned to their homes to find the land completely taken over by the US military. They lost their land and ended up having to live next to the bases.

That may explain why people settled in certain areas in the years immediately following the end of the war, but that elementary school was built decades later. Same with the university they built next to the Futenma.

There is nothing that is forcing these people to live immediately adjacent to a noisy airfield. They aren’t serfs tied down to their land. They can move to other areas of the island – not everywhere is a noisy hell hole. I also don’t know of any good reason why they should not relocate that elementary school that is so close to the airfield. [Right wingers might actually have a point when they argue it was intentionally built in the noisiest spot so that the children could be paraded before the media as victims.]

To Magus:

If an American troop commits a single crime in a foreign country while actively serving, they should at least be immediately put on the next plane back to the US, and at worst be dishonorably discharged.

That probably wouldn’t be the best solution. I think Okinawans would prefer that the status of forces agreement be modified to remove the obstructions that keep Japanese police from easily arresting or even questioning suspects who are members of the U.S. military. Discharging them might be a good idea, but it should be done after authorities in the host country get a chance to take the offender to trial. They can get a flight back to America after doing time in Japanese prison.
Kevin not kevin

“[Right wingers might actually have a point when they argue it was intentionally built in the noisiest spot so that the children could be paraded before the media as victims.]”

I’m far from being a right winger, but this is probably not entirely false. Then again, there was probably some space purposely kept between the city and the base, and as the population of the city increased, they may have not had much of a choice where to build the school. All of this is purely speculation on my part, though.

On a side note, I really do find the voting here very strange. You can argue for or against the relocation of the base, but people are voting down comments about events that have already happened and have been recorded by historians. It’s just bizarre. The comments against the internment camps are particularly disturbing; it’s not like this hasn’t happened before, and on US soil no less:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_American_internment

“Some Japanese-American farmers were able to find families willing to tend their farms for the duration of their internment. In other cases, however, Japanese-American farmers had to sell their property in a matter of days, usually at great financial loss. In these cases, the land speculators who bought the land made huge profits. California’s Alien Land Laws of the 1910s, which prohibited most non-citizens from owning property in that state, contributed to Japanese-American property losses. Because they were barred from owning land, many older Japanese-American farmers were tenant farmers and therefore lost their rights to those farm lands.”
http://www.japanprobe.com James

The comments against the internment camps are particularly disturbing

I think you probably got downvotes for referring to the internment areas as “concentration camps.”

Magus

I have military helicopters flying over my house several times a day. Even if it was several more times a day, it’s not that bad. It’s marginally louder than it would be if I lived right next to an interstate. The train tracks near our house are a source of much louder noise, albeit slightly less frequently than the helicopters.

I’ve not been to Okinawa. The way you speak, it sounds as if there is literally a runway less than a football field away from neighborhoods and the US military is flying jets off of it dozens of times per day. Surely that isn’t really the case??

Dumbo

Er, yeah, that is the case.

Look:
http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en&q=Marine%20Corps%20Air%20Station%20Futenma%E2%80%8E&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

and make sure you understand the SCALE – see the distance? It’s LITERALLY OVER PEOPLE’S HOUSES. Make sure you look at the Satellite imagery. It’s ludicrous how this base is.

Kuro Neko

U.S base MOVE AWAY!
japanobserver

Why can’t Japan remilitarize. Get the youth off the street, reintroduce patriotism (not nationalism), enlarge the army. US bases moves off but the Japanese army expands and becomes stronger. Continue joint operations. The JP army can conduct peaceful missions, send troops abroad for humanitarian purposes, boost national morale. 50,000 marines isn’t going to stop a massive invasion by China (theoretically) anyways right?

pablo_de_carlos

China doesn’t even have the kahunas(balls) or capability
to launch a full-scale invasion of Taiwan(which was
formerly Japanese territory). If China wants to invade
Japan, the PLA will probably need kahunas bigger than those
Japanese raccoons.

Magus

Most strategists don’t think China is going to outright invade Taiwan. Rather, they will economically coerce Taiwan into merging with the mainland by putting them in a position where they feel their only choice is bankruptcy or One China Two Systems.

In a desperate situation, it’s thought that China could effectively put a non-violent naval blockade around Taiwan and force ships it didn’t want to turn around. This would be Taiwan in a dire situation of economic doom and put the US in the unfortunate situation of having to either give up Taiwan or be the first one to attack.

Here’s an interesting report on the subject published by a thinktank this year. Check page 41.
http://www.csbaonline.org/4Publications/PubLibrary/R.20100111.Defense_Planning/R.20100111.Defense_Planning.pdf

helical

A lot of people still think the military is a convenient place to chuck in ne’er-do-well kids and somehow have them be magically transmuted into sterling models of discipline and order. I suppose it’s not completely without merit with the boot camp and all, and I have no military experience myself, but the Garbage In Garbage Out rule seems like it would apply to any organization …

MarkD

Garbage in – garbage out applies to this comment. Most Americans cannot serve, due to criminal records, or inability to meet the physical or mental standards.

You don’t need to have military experience to comment, and your opinion is your own, but facts are facts.

helical

Thanks for sounding like you disagree while actually proving my point.

Getting kids into the military as a way of getting them off the street is bound to end up with bad results without standards, as you point out.

Aaron

I think Americans are being disingenuous when they imply that the US military presence is protecting Japan from a “Chinese Invasion.” First, I’ll point out that the U.S. did a pretty bad job “protecting” 2 other countries from Communist invasion (1 of which was directly sponsored by China) in the middle of the last century. Second, while it may have been possible to conceive of an aggressive, conquering China thirty or forty years ago, there is no reason to believe that China would engage in such aggression now. In fact, China’s current foreign policy (and, even domestic policy, with regards to Taiwan) seems to be pretty hands off. As long as China can procure the resources it needs, it sees no interest in launching an invasion and trying to control foreign powers. In part I think this is a projection of the American belief that it is “proper” for a superpower to engage militarily in the affairs of smaller countries whenever it is in the interests of that superpower to do so. But even if China acted that way, Japan would be a terrible target for it–Japan simply has no resources that China needs, other than high tech knowledge (something not easy to acquisition via violent means).

I think this is part of the perspective that the DPJ (as terrible as it might be as a governing agent) is trying to put forward–that Japan no longer _needs_ protecting, and that it would be better off trying to align it’s interests less unidirectionally, and more towards the rest of its continent.

helical

I still wouldn’t trust China as to disarm in front of them while they continue to build aircraft carriers and continue acquiring the capability to exert power and influence beyond their borders. If they really had a hands-off approach, they would not be actively pursuing for getting its hands on carriers, as well as other goodies like ASBMs (ballistic carrier killer missiles) and ASAT (satellite killer) capabilities.
Up until now, China didn’t have any significant amphibious assault crafts, which hordes of would have been necessary if they were to conduct an invasion of an island country like Japan. The nature of defending an island terrain dictates that Japan is heavily reliant on the ASDF and the MSDF to sink or shoot down invading craft before they ever reach the coastlines. The JGSDF isn’t completely useless, but common wisdom says, if enemies reach the coasts, then Japan is mostly screwed. So if China starts amassing an army of amphibious assault craft, that’s a glaringly obvious announcement saying “hey Japan, we’re going to invade you!”, but building armaments to counter the defenses that would hamper such an invasion, is only slightly less worrisome in comparison.

Also, it’s the same government that continued skirmishes up to 1989 after a “punitive” war against Vietnam in 1979 for toppling a Chinese supported government in Cambodia.

As for technical knowledge, I guess that falls outside the realm of purely military affairs, but there is a constant (and I stress “constant”) stream of Chinese effort to lure away technicians or steal technical knowledge from Japan. Back in 2005, Yamaha got nailed by the Japanese government for sharing with China technology on it’s automatic guided helicopter drones, as it would take very little effort to convert the original design for crop dusting into military use.
I won’t get into too much detail on how military might isn’t the only way to control foreign powers since it starts crossing into the realm more to do with conspiracy theories and less with US military bases, but it seems the United States is more capable in keeping it’s back door closed than Japan.

If the DPJ’s much touted “equal relationship” with the United States and a multilateral relationship with all its neighbors is going to work, it’s going to need the ability of Japan to fend for itself, rather than just kicking the United States out and calling it a day.

hoihoi

The United States still fears Japan.
Do not give Japan the military force.

Japan only establishes own military forces and A-bombs if the United States goes out.
chine is also still fears Japan
cambio

99.99-percent of the citizens of every nation are good, decent folks who do not
want wars, foreign or civil.

it’s the 0.01 percent(almost always the stupid politicians or military leaders)
who start stupid war.

the innocent civilians usually end up paying for such wars with their money
and blood…

ele

I fully agree with that.

Pete

If U.S. left Japan, China or North Korea invade Japan?! With what naval and amphibious resources? With exception of U.S. Pacific fleet, JMSDF has the largest and modern fleet in Asia. How are they going get past Japanese Aegis destroyers, AIP equipped SSK submarines, and strike fighters with anti-ship missiles? Japan can take care of itself. Those bases are cold war relics and Chinese are more interested in economic growth rather than war.

helical

Chinese are more interested in economic growth rather than war.

… which is why they’re busy funneling money into their defense budget showing annual double-digit percentage growth to build aircraft carriers, modernize their sub fleet, develop Anti Ship Ballistic Missiles, develop satellite killing weapons, etc. … all of which are useful for power projection beyond their immediate vicinity and/or destroying the abilities of competitive global powers (i.e. The US Navy), while simultaneously making renewed declarations that the South China Sea (a crowded area with a slew of other smaller nations occupying it) is (one of) the focus of their key national interests.

Maybe Japan is a tough target to chew, but taking all other neighbors into consideration, I’m of the opinion that the “rather than” part of your last sentence seems somewhat on the optimistic side of things … I’m hoping I’m just paranoid.

ele

I wonder why do Americans need bases outside their own country? who wants a military base from another country in your country? I think no one besides the US needs that. Just leave japanese people defend their country, they can be as capable as anyone if US leaves them.
Snoop

Remove all foreign American bases, countries must not have military bases except inside their own territories
Rick Cain

As an american, I’m kind of puzzled as to why the USA still maintains so many bases abroad. The Cold War is over, and the political landscape has change dramatically. The tired argument of “new threats” just doesn’t really justify our massive military posture. Japan has a significant self-defense force, and the USA has a dozen aircraft carriers to project power in case of emergency, so the question has to be asked. Do we keep bases open to benefit our allies, or to benefit our military contractors and their friends in Congress?

Would You Want 30 Military Bases In Your Backyard?

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