U.S. Military presence in Okinawa

The U.S. Military presence is a hot subject in the news of today in Japan. With over 90,000 people participating in a protest on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa on April 26th, the fight to close the base is gaining momentum. The bases have been on the Island since the end of WWII when Japan unconditionally surrendered to the U.S. The reasons for the protests are many, such as noise, pollution, rapes, and many other frictions between the troops and civilians. The Japanese people, particularly the Okinawan people, have made it clear that they do not want the bases to remain on Okinawa. This comes as a bit of a shock to U.S. government officials who thought the issue had been resolved in 2006, when it was decided the U.S. would move the base to a less populated area. However, even this is now being rejected by the Japanese people. This issue is highly debatable from both standpoints. On the one hand the U.S. is responsible for the security of Japan, and in continuing security in the East Asian realm. With China (a threat to Taiwan), and North Korea (still at war with S. Korea), the U.S. needs to remain in the area as a stabilizing factor. From the Japanese standpoint it has been over 60 years since the end of the war and they feel it is time for the U.S. to leave their own security to the Japanese. Also used for evidence of the need for the U.S. to leave the islands is the constant problems the military imposes on the local population. Such a decision could have huge implications for the relations between the U.S. and Japan. However, if sovereignty is the question at hand then Japan should be the country to decide what will happen to the U.S. bases on its territory.

Website used:http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gLRnNiAm-F0NcPziTNjL2RDGrjtg