Okinawa Overstay?

[2triky]

[Coligny]

[matsuki]

LOL, I would agree at this point. Let them leave and see the impact it has on the local economy. Interested to see who they going to blame for all the crime and problems on with the base gone?

After Fukushima you'd think they shut the fuck up aboot US Army sticking around... (and be sort of thankfull)

But nooooo... they NEEED to be assholes again on that topic since they so successfully declared a cold shutdown (even if Daiichi #2 was at 116C 2 days ago...)

This is just talking about Okinawa. There are US bases all over Japan.

[IparryU]

[Level3]

J police stats say there were over 5000 arrests for serious crimes in Okinawa last year. If the base is gone, what can we expect that to drop to? Every US Forces arrest gets in the news, right? How many per year? A couple? Maybe 5 in a bad year?

The conclusion is obvious. To cut down on crime, all the Japanese on Okinawa should be transferred to Guam.

[zero_oki]

Futenma is clear proof that mainland and local politicians don't give a damn about Okinawans (as the population itself is too apathetic to really try) LOL

[IparryU]

Futenma is clear proof that mainland and local politicians don't give a damn about Okinawans (as the population itself is too apathetic to really try) LOL

Okinawans aren't Japanese... That is until it became "cool" in other nations...

UMJ Article here...

[McTojo]

I told you so....

I'm tired of Japanese girls marrying military guys. That's one good reason they should leave Japan.

[matsuki]

Okinawans aren't Japanese... That is until it became "cool" in other nations...

UMJ Article here...

LOL

Why can't anyone get it right? Looking to the past and placing emphasis on one's blood more than actually encouraging tradition among all the inhabitants, regardless of their blood.

[IparryU]

LOL

Why can't anyone get it right? Looking to the past and placing emphasis on one's blood more than actually encouraging tradition among all the inhabitants, regardless of their blood.

a dream that will never come true... sad to say.

but when everyone is some type of indian/chinese hybrid, it might become like that.

[YT]97vxtwtX_do[/YT]

[Greji]

a dream

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to IparryU again.

[2triky]

Yamaguchi gov. against U.S. proposal to move 1,500 Okinawa Marines

YAMAGUCHI (Kyodo) -- Yamaguchi Gov. Sekinari Nii urged the central government on Tuesday to reject a reported U.S. proposal to move about 1,500 Marines from Okinawa Prefecture to the Iwakuni base in Yamaguchi and threatened to withdraw planned land sales to the central government for U.S. military family housing.

''This came out of the blue and I feel distrust against the (central) government. I want it to reject the proposal,'' Nii told reporters. Otherwise, the prefecture ''may consider not selling the land'' despite a decision in December to do so.

The western Japanese prefecture, along with the city of Iwakuni, are against any additional base-hosting burdens as a 2006 Japan-U.S. agreement already includes plans for the Marine Corps' Iwakuni Air Station to accommodate U.S. carrier-borne fighter jets from another base in Kanagawa Prefecture as well as aerial tankers based in Okinawa Prefecture.

Sources close to Japan-U.S. relations said Monday that Washington has sounded out Tokyo on a plan to transfer the 1,500 Marines to Iwakuni, representing nearly half of the 3,300 Okinawa Marines that Washington is now considering moving to other areas instead of Guam.

The plan deviates from the 2006 accord on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, under which progress on relocating the Futenma Air Station in Okinawa was a precondition for the transfer of about 8,000 of the 18,000 Marines and 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam.

February 7, 2012

Source

[IparryU]

U.S., Japan announce agreement to send Okinawa Marines to Guam

POLITICS FEB. 09, 2012 - 10:30AM JST ( 29 )TOKYO —
Japan and the United States agreed Wednesday to proceed with plans to transfer thousands of U.S. troops out of the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, leaving behind the stalled discussion about closing a major U.S. Marine base there.

The transfer, a key to U.S. troop restructuring in the Pacific, has been in limbo for years because it was linked to the closure and replacement of the strategically important base that Okinawans fiercely oppose.

The announcement Wednesday follows high-level talks to rework a 2006 agreement for 8,000 Marines to transfer to the U.S. territory of Guam by 2014 if a replacement for Marine Corps Air Station Futenma could be built elsewhere on Okinawa.

more...

[matsuki]

...and there goes the Okinawan economy. They may still get tourists but they're gonna take a huge hit...

[Mike Oxlong]

...and there goes the Okinawan economy. They may still get tourists but they're gonna take a huge hit...

How so?

[matsuki]

How so?

Tons of businesses based on all the military peeps there. No military, no income, and it will ripple throughout the local economy.

[Mike Oxlong]

Tons of businesses based on all the military peeps there. No military, no income, and it will ripple throughout the local economy.

Meh, I don't buy that. That's a common line you hear from base proponents, but all it means is a few bars and restaurants will close. All real shopping is done on base. Food, clothing, gasoline, doctors, veterinarians, and on and on. That's not how the bases contribute to the economy...

[Mock Cockpit]

Meh, I don't buy that. That's a common line you hear from base proponents, but all it means is a few bars and restaurants will close. All real shopping is done on base. Food, clothing, gasoline, doctors, veterinarians, and on and on. That's not how the bases contribute to the economy...

Agreed. And if the land now occupied by the bases is returned to the Okinawan people the economy may actually get a boost from new businesses starting up. The bases are a colossal overuse of land considering the size of Okinawa. One base had a full size golf driving range as I remember.

[Greji]

Meh, I don't buy that. That's a common line you hear from base proponents, but all it means is a few bars and restaurants will close. All real shopping is done on base. Food, clothing, gasoline, doctors, veterinarians, and on and on. That's not how the bases contribute to the economy...

You also have to remember Mike, that all of the food stuffs that are perishable are usually, either tariffed, or can't be imported because of shelf-life. The amount of merchandise that is purchased fromthe local economy by bases and camps is tremendous when you consider all the clubs, dining halls, cafeterias and snack bars. All construction of buildings is done by Japanese under contract as well as a lot of maintenance. Runways and roads are contracted to the Japanese companies. Garbage and trash removal are Japanese. Some communications systems are even maintained by Japanese contract. Japanese products are sold in all outlets, from TVs to dolls. There are many other areas to include transportation of most fuels and household goods that are all done by Japanese contractors. All of this must be computed before you can say that it does not have a large effect on local economy. Base workers also number in the thousands. There are figures around to show the total effects, but they're hard to find and I'm to lazy to look them up.

[Mike Oxlong]

You also have to remember Mike, that all of the food stuffs that are perishable are usually, either tariffed, or can't be imported because of shelf-life. The amount of merchandise that is purchased fromthe local economy by bases and camps is tremendous when you consider all the clubs, dining halls, cafeterias and snack bars. All construction of buildings is done by Japanese under contract as well as a lot of maintenance. Runways and roads are contracted to the Japanese companies. Garbage and trash removal are Japanese. Some communications systems are even maintained by Japanese contract. Japanese products are sold in all outlets, from TVs to dolls. There are many other areas to include transportation of most fuels and household goods that are all done by Japanese contractors. All of this must be computed before you can say that it does not have a large effect on local economy. Base workers also number in the thousands. There are figures around to show the total effects, but they're hard to find and I'm to lazy to look them up.

I'm having a hard time with that too. Foods are regularly shipped from all over the world to supply supermarkets nowadays, and the BX/PX/MCX are no exception. Prices are generally far lower than local prices, and when the do have local products on sale beside the imports, the difference is stark. Movie theaters, restaurants...it's all bigger and cheaper on base. Shaken is replaced by PCS and costs significantly less.

The prefecture posts on their website that bases contribute about 5% of the local economy. They don't mention that Tokyo subsidies can make up to 70% of the prefectural budget when they play ball and take it for the team. That's the real "benefit" to the economy.

[Coligny]

Ok, more importantly, will there be closeout sales ?

I always wanted to make a baby bed with a half cut Mark82HD Snakeye...

And an old A6 airframe would look totally cool on top of the contower instead of the old maternity lightsign...

[2triky]

Didn't know we had a Marine Schutzstaffel Unit.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Didn't know we had a Marine Schutzstaffel Unit.

I'm sure it's just a Kiss flag with someone standing in front of the first two letters....

[2triky]

I'm sure it's just a Kiss flag with someone standing in front of the first two letters....

Yeah right. The story went from ode to German shock troops to a nod to a Jewish front man for an American rock band.

[Mike Oxlong]

I'm sure it's just a Kiss flag with someone standing in front of the first two letters....

I think the Kiss Army wears their cammo paint differently...

[2triky]

[Mike Oxlong]

[waruta]

Didn't know we had a Marine Schutzstaffel Unit.

You guys are all mistaken. I can't quite be sure because the logos all look similar but I do believe that's either the 29th Tactical Tetris Operations Group or the 19th Lego Logistics Battalion.

[Coligny]

Vets win payouts over Agent Orange use on Okinawa
U.S. soldier unloaded barrels at Naha Port, ex-marine handled tainted Vietnam gear

Would have deserved its own thread, no ?

[IparryU]

Would have deserved its own thread, no ?

sure the hell dont belong in Okinawa Overstay...