Okinawa Prefectural Government D.C. Office Elaborates on the U.S. Military Base Issues

Futenma Air Station, one of the U.S. military bases in Okinawa, Japan, is surrounded by densely populated residential areas (Wikimedia Commons).

Japan Network, Georgetown University’s Japanese cultural club, hosted a talk-event with the Okinawa Prefectural Government’s D.C. Office on October 19 to hear its perspectives on the current issues on Okinawa’s U.S. military bases. Following a short greeting in the Okinawan dialect, Director Satoshi Uechi explained the office’s role and purpose, after which Katsuya Tamaki, the Deputy Director of the office, held a presentation and question and answer session.

Okinawa is Japan’s Southernmost and Westernmost prefecture, consisting of nearly 160 tropical islands. Given its abundant natural life, scenery, and unique history, Okinawa is registered as a combined UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its location - between Japan’s main islands and Taiwan- has made it a critical strategic site for the U.S. military following  World War II.

At the macro level, Okinawa is of great strategic importance for the U.S. military, as it is located in the East China Sea, where China has recently  intensified its aggressive actions. However, according to Tamaki, Okinawa suffers the consequences for its host status for U.S. military bases, mainly from humanitarian problems. 

Tamaki first pointed out that  more than 70% of the U.S.-exclusive military bases in Japan are located in Okinawa despite accounting for only 0.6% of Japan’s total land area. According to Tamaki, the bases were built against popular dissent (under U.S. control following World War II) in Okinawa, meaning that its issues are especially serious compared to bases in other regions of Japan. In order to facilitate the construction of military bases in Okinawa’s flat and densely populated areas, citizens were forcibly displaced from their hometowns. Even after their displacement, Okinawans remained near their hometowns out of a sense of attachment to the land. As a result, the military bases are surrounded by densely populated residential areas.

“Often, the people of Okinawa feel that the burden of hosting the bases is too much,” Tamaki stated.

Tamaki explained that the proximity of the military bases to residential areas has caused many problems, including serious noise pollution, accidents caused by military aircrafts, environmental pollution, and crimes committed by military personnel. To illustrate his point, he showed a video of military helicopters and aircrafts flying closely over a nursery school. “If your child is in this nursery school, how would you feel?” he asked the audience. 

Tamaki explained that these issues have led to the decision to relocate Futenma Air Station -  known as “the most dangerous base in the world” due to its proximity to densely populated areas - to Henoko, which is less populous. However, he revealed that the Okinawa prefectural government is opposed to the relocation plan because it will not solve the greater problem of Okinawa shouldering the burden of hosting a disproportionate share of Japan's U.S. military bases. He offered several other reasons why Japan and the U.S. should reconsider the relocation plan, such as the high cost of construction, the endangerment of the Henoko coast’s oceanic biodiversity, and the lack of public support, citing that over 70% of Okinawans oppose the relocation plan.

Tamaki, however, admitted that the Okinawa prefectural government recognizes that the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty (which allows the U.S. military to have bases in Japan) has proven critical in the face of growing tensions with China, contributing to overall peace in the region. However, he said, “To maintain the alliance stably, it is high time Tokyo and Washington began to think of diversifying the weight of the U.S. military bases across the whole of Japan.” He stated that the Okinawa prefectural government aims at reducing the share of the U.S.military bases in Japan from 70 to 50 percent or less; he hopes that this target could be set between the two governments.

When asked about the challenges that the Okinawa D.C. Office faces in trying to convey its demands, Tamaki expressed frustration about the fact that diplomatic negotiations on the military base issues are considered to be the purview only of central governments, meaning that it neglects the opinions of the prefectural government. That is why, he said, Okinawa D.C. Office is trying to convey Okinawan people’s demands and raise awareness of this issue among American citizens through events such as  this one. “I really hope that you keep an eye on what’s happening in Okinawa,” he remarked when asked about what American students can do to address the issues.