posted on October 4, 2004 12:01:04 PM new
Looks like it's nothing new Nero - according to this there have been talks for nearly two years. Maybe the Japanese are just tired of foot dragging and trying to get the US to kick things into gear.
It could also have something to do with the fact that Japan is also in a recession and maybe they would like to reduce the nearly 4 billion a year they contribute the cost of the numberous US bases which have become redundant and eat up neccesary land in a small nation with a growing population.
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In January 2003 Japan and the United States reached a basic agreement to start talks on the return of idle land in four US military facilities in Yokohama. The US military facilities targeted for negotiation are the Kamiseya communications facility, which occupies 242.2 hectares in Seya Ward; the Negishi residential zone, a 43.1-hectare facility in Naka Ward; the Tomioka storage area, a 2.9-hectare facility in Kanazawa Ward; and the Fukaya communications facility, a 77.4-hectare unit in Totsuka Ward.
In mid-2003 American military officials were discussing consolidating or closing some US bases near Tokyo. However, Japanese and U.S. officials would not confirm media reports saying an agreement is near on specific proposals. One report said the Navy’s Negishi housing area in Yokohama would be combined with the Ikego Heights housing area in Zushi.
The the U.S.-Japan joint committee agreed to focus on the 11 US Naval facilities in Kanagawa prefecture. The Japanese media reports also named the communications facility at Kamiseya, a warehouse facility in Tomioka and a communications center in Fukaya.
The number of military bases in Japan designated for use by both the Self-Defense Forces and US troops may be increased as part of the planned realignment of US military capabilities. The ASDF's Air Defense Command (ADC) and Air Support Command (ASC) headquarters, both now based in Fuchu, Tokyo, would be shifted to the USAF's Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo. some of the ASDF's facilities in Naha may shift to Kadena. Shimojijima island in southeastern Okinawa Prefecture is being considered as a base for joint military drills.
The ASDF and the USAF already share Misawa Air Base in Misawa, Aomori Prefecture, while the Ground Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Marine Corps use the GSDF's Higashi-Fuji Training Range in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture, and the Yausubetsu Training Range in eastern Hokkaido for joint military drills.
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This could also have all come back up following a recent helicopter crash near a base in Okinowa. There has been ongoing controversy surrounding the base and the fact that manuevers are regularly flown over the homes and surrounding schools and the dangers involved.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on October 4, 2004 04:14:12 PM new
Neroter - You've heard, haven't you that our military has plans in the works to remove many thousand troops from several countries...ie: Japan, S. Korea, Germany etc.
but here's an article that speaks to the US and Japan and what agreement they're trying to work out.
