Japanese Prime Minister’s First Visit to Okinawa

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama visited Okinawa prefecture for the first time and declared his intentions of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma air base within the prefecture. It is clear that he is breaking a promise made to the public. The people of Okinawa have been betrayed; we cannot possibly turn a blind eye to these people who have put their trust in the Prime Minister for “relocation [of the base] outside of the prefecture and the county.”

The Prime Minister told Okinawa Prefect Hirokazu Nakaima, “…[moving the base] outside the prefecture is pragmatically difficult,” and asked that Okinawa take a share the burden of responsibility, since the bases are necessary for national security.

However, at the election for the lower house of the Japanese Diet, the Prime Minister made a public promise, “[I am] hoping for relocation outside of the prefecture.” At a questioning session in the Diet, he asserted, “I have a plan,” and impressively declared, “I will risk my life, making sure to give you results.”*

The Prefect of Okinawa probably didn’t expect he would now hear about difficulties in relocating outside of the prefecture from a Prime Minister who made such promises.

For that reason, the Prime Minister explained that, “From the point of view of the Japan-America alliance and its ability to deter attacks, it is a difficult thing.” But these difficulties from the American point of view should have been known from the outset. Their insistence on relocation within the prefecture is linked to preserving the ability to deter attacks. Why only now, when it’s too late, is the Prime Minister speaking about it?

The Prime Minister said to the press corps, “We have come to the thinking that the more we learn, the more we will be able to preserve the ability to deter attacks with the total cooperation of the U.S. armed forces stationed in Okinawa.”*

Was his public promise just carelessness? In the end, was talk of relocating the base outside of the prefecture and country just cajolery to win the election? The administrative consequences of a Prime Minister who has deceived the people are extremely serious.

One can assess the course of action of the Hatoyama Cabinet in light of aims such as reducing the burden of the base for the people of Okinawa prefecture, where around 75 percent of American bases in Japan are gathered. Is it possible to consider both relocating the Futenma air base outside the prefecture and country and pursue a close and equal relationship with America?

The problem is that the government’s desire and ability to make those things happen has been lacking. There is no evidence of the Prime Minster making frantic efforts to relocate [bases] outside of the prefecture and country.

First and foremost, did the Prime Minister raise questions about the relocation in his conference with President Obama?

Why must the base be in Okinawa for the U.S. Marine Corps to be able to deter attacks? Not even one such fundamental argument from within the administration has been heard.

Even if, at the moment, it is difficult to relocate outside of the country, to what extent is the administration doing a proper examination of relocating [forces] to other administrative divisions of Japan, with the exception of Okinawa?

A meeting [about relocation], held in Tokunoshima, in Kagoshima prefecture, a place that had previously been listed to take a part of the U.S. presence, was replete with heavy objections. Like Okinawa, they experienced the rule of U.S. military forces after the war and, so, relocating forces in Tokunoshima, a place where there is a strong feeling of resistance to the bases, is not simple.

In Okinawa, opinions of “discrimination” in the mainland’s imposition on the area of the burden of the base are being made public. Even if they are requested by the Prime Minister — who lacks sincerity in his efforts — to accept relocation within the prefecture, the people of Okinawa will probably not agree to it.

The Prime Minister ought to seriously reflect on his diplomatic and political skills.

* Editor’s Note: these quotes, accurately translated, have not been verified.