Is Okinawa a ‘Military Colony’? US Military Leaders’ Thoughtless Remarks

Parts falling from U.S. military aircrafts, scandals related to alcohol involving U.S. military, thoughtless remarks from U.S. military leaders…. Recent activity surrounding the U.S. military base has been abnormal. Injuries and arrests continue one after another, as construction to reclaim land at Henoko in the city of Nago continues in spite of strong opposition. The present situation will only increase in severity if reclamation construction continues further. The situation is alarming.

Underlying these issues are the double standards of both the Japanese and U.S. governments. The double standard concerns whether the two governments would allow what is occurring in Okinawa to occur on the mainland U.S. or mainland Japan.

On Feb. 13, there were reports that a 227 gram metal part known as an accelerator panel fell from a U.S. Navy EP-3 surveillance plane based at Kadena Air Base. This year, there have already been four accidents involving parts falling from U.S. military aircraft. This is an abnormally high accident rate.

Last December, the U.S. military largely relaxed restrictions on drinking outside the base for its military forces. A succession of traffic violations (DUIs) and cases of breaking and entering immediately followed. Already this year, as of Jan. 26, six American soldiers have been arrested. Discipline appears to be growing lax.

Even more serious, however, are the repeatedly thoughtless and prejudicial remarks made by U.S. military leaders.

The current U.S. Navy Captain stationed in Okinawa sent an email to a British journalist ridiculing the Okinawan citizens who opposed the construction of the new base. In this email, he made reference to the series of injured citizens protesting the construction of the new base at Henoko, stating that, “The attempt to appear injured is laughable when you see it in person.”

Although this Captain holds the important office of deputy public affairs officer, he disdains protests with phrases full of prejudice and shuts his ears and his eyes to the voices of the Okinawan public, which are revealed in all sorts of elections. He is a complete failure as a deputy public affairs officer.

In response to a Stockholm University graduate student in Okinawa researching the problems surrounding the base, the current commanding officer at Camp Gonsalves stated that the residents who continue to hold sit-in protests against the construction of a helipad near Takae in Higashi village are there because the Communist Party in Tokyo or an NPO is paying them to be there.

Touching on last year’s gubernatorial election, the same commanding officer also stated how it was interesting that the Communist Party, which does not support democracy, was able to form a very democratic ruling coalition party and unseat Makoto Nakai, the former governor. It is incorrect to state that the Communist Party does not support democracy. It is also incorrect to state that citizens are being paid by the Communist Party.

Although it may seem as though misleading information and beliefs filled with prejudice that fly about the Internet are being used to criticize the opposition, such remarks are giving birth to very serious problems.

Current U.S. military leaders are commenting on the political situation of Okinawa based on incorrect information. Criticizing Okinawan citizens’ constitutional right to free speech oversteps the role of military personnel.

Both U.S. and Japanese governments must immediately eliminate the double standards they have in forcing difficulties only on Okinawa.