Japan is in turmoil again over US military base

(Baonghean) - The Okinawa Prefecture government of Japan has just filed a lawsuit with the Central and Local Government Dispute Resolution Committee under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Japan to sue the government for revoking the permit to build a US military base in the Henoko coastal area of ​​Okinawa. These developments once again put Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a "difficult position" when he has to balance between the Okinawa government and people on one side, and the US on the other.

"The top says, the bottom doesn't listen"

For nearly two decades, protests by Okinawans against the presence of the Futenma military base have been a daily occurrence. The noise from American fighter jets flying overhead and the risk of plane crashes are a constant presence in the lives of the people here. These concerns are not without reason, as last August, a US military plane crashed on the island, injuring seven crew members.

US Futenma military base in Okinawa.

According to the plan between the Japanese and US governments, the Futenma Air Base will be relocated from Ginowan to the less populated coastal area of ​​Henoko. However, the people of Okinawa still do not accept the plan to move the military base, but demand that it be completely withdrawn from this area, specifically to Guam.

The view of “removing Futenma from Okinawa” was further reinforced after Mr. Takeshi Onaga was elected as Governor of Okinawa last December with a pledge to “eliminate the dangers that have caused pain to the people here”. Mr. Onaga’s will was most clearly demonstrated by the decision to revoke the construction permit at the Futenma base on October 13 after a month-long consultation between the central government and local authorities.

However, the meeting ended without reaching an agreement. While Okinawa requested that construction conditions be set to ensure that there would be no environmental consequences in the area, the central government refused, saying that appropriate conditions had been agreed upon during the previous governorship of Hirokazu Nakaima.

After Governor Onaga decided to revoke his predecessor's permit, the central government responded by asking the Ministry of Territories to overturn the decision on the grounds that the regional administrative agency had no authority to issue such directives. At the same time, the central government continued to have workers clear the material storage area in preparation for the relocation.

Onaga's decision to sue the central government on November 2 was to prove his previous statement about "taking all necessary measures to prevent the Futenma base relocation plan from going ahead."

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's determination

The delay in building the US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, approved by both countries in 1996, has been a major stumbling block in US-Japan relations. Over the past two decades, the dispute over the relocation of the base has caused headaches for previous Japanese Prime Ministers such as Naoto Kan and Yukio Hatoyama, who have been caught between the Okinawan people and their US allies. But this time, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is showing his determination to push ahead with the relocation plan.

Mr. Shinzo Abe is in a "difficult situation". Photo: Sputnik.

Futenma is currently the most important US military base in Japan. Relocating the base from Okinawa – to Guam, for example – would be a setback in the pivot to the Asia-Pacific. As a close ally of the US, Japan is unlikely to let this scenario happen, especially when Japan is also in dire need of US support to deal with its rising rival China in the region.

Furthermore, the financial factor is also a major issue that the Japanese government must consider, because this cost will be paid by the Japanese government. After more than half a century of being built as a giant military fortress with many complex systems, the plan to relocate Futenma to another location outside of Okinawa will be much higher than the 500 billion yen - the estimated cost for moving from Ginowan to Henoko.

Despite Shinzo Abe’s strategic calculations, identifying Futenma as an outpost to protect the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the sovereignty dispute with China, the people of Okinawa still do not accept the relocation plan that was approved under Hirokazu Nakaima. After the local government filed a lawsuit against the government with the Central and Local Government Dispute Resolution Committee, Governor Onaga expressed his hope that the committee would consider Okinawa’s complaint in a neutral and fair manner.

However, according to analysts, it is likely that the committee's decision will not be beneficial to Okinawa, and the plan to move the Futenma base will continue to be implemented. That also means that Mr. Shinzo Abe will have to face a stronger wave of resistance in the coming time, affecting his reputation, which has declined after he promoted the passage of the new security bill. But perhaps, that is the price that Mr. Shinzo Abe is willing to pay for the goal of a Japan with a greater position in the region with the support of its ally, the United States.

Thuy Ngoc