Rumsfeld cancels Japan visit due to base row-media

Rumsfeld cancels Japan visit due to base row-media
October 6, 2005

TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has canceled a visit to Japan planned for later this month because of a stalemate in talks on where to relocate a U.S. military base in Japan, Japanese media reported on Thursday.

The Asahi Shimbun said plans had been made for Rumsfeld to visit Tokyo around October 21 or 22 for talks with Japanese officials including Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, part of Washington's plans to transform its military globally into a more flexible force.

But the two allies are at odds over the relocation of Futenma air base on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, a key element in redeploying the nearly 50,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in the country, media and military experts said.

Talks between senior defense officials in Washington this week ended without much progress.

Japan's top government spokesman said the Rumsfeld visit was never finalized, but added that the allies would continue to seek agreement on changes to the U.S. military presence.


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http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2005/10/06/rumsfeld_cancels_japan_visit_due_to_base_row_media_1128574335/

Surprise

where a soldier raped a japanese girl.The islanders were angry and wanted the US out of Okinawa.Is Anti-USA sentiment prevelent in Japan?

Anti-base sentiment is prevalent in Okinawa. Anti-war sentiment is widespread across Japan, but is in considerably more favor with the ruling government.

have a beer...:toast:

wants Russia to return the Kurile Islands, IMO it's only fair for Japan to return Okinawa to the Okinawans.

Kunashiri and Etorofu (or Kunashir and Iterrup), plus a smaller island called Shikotan and some specks in the ocean called the Habomai Islands that are just a stone's throw from the Hokkaido coast. Russia never had a claim on these islands, and Japan had had sovereignty over them since at least the 18th century, but Roosevelt offered them to Stalin at Yalta, if Russia would join the war against Japan.

two situations are identical. Give both back to the original people.

Especially since the 16th century? They should all give them back to the original people, wouldn't you say?

intermarried so they've lost their unique culture.

My point is the dispute between Japan and Russia has numerous parallels, e.g China and Taiwan.

I used Japan vs Okinawa as an example of a similar dispute although most of the desire among natives from the Ryūkyū Kingdom has died down since the U.S. turned it over to Japan in 1972.

It was dragged into a war, then served as the battlefield for the brunt of combat in the Japanese homeland during that war. And even after its return to Japan, Okinawa has been the major home for US bases in Japan, much to the chagrin of many natives, including the governor.

I've never bee to Okinawa (yet), but I know people from there. They seem to hold on a bit to their own culture (such as traditional music and language)where they can.

Note the date of linked article below.
Things have not improved/got worse since it was written.

It is significant that the US military facilities cover 19% of the island.
Who wouldn't be pissed off with that alone?
A foreign facility in a sub-tropical wonderland, with a gazillion air movements a day. Those poor people know no peace.

The eco damage is very bad, on and offshore. Okinawa has been described as the Galapagos of the East due to it's species diversity. A very special place America has spoiled and spoils more as time continues.

The people have had enough. There has been rosters of protesters standing on the foundations built on their precious coral reefs. The foundations are US built for their project to build offshore runways on the reefs, which are actually the islanders food cupboards. The protesters have been on the foundations for years (10?) and have halted construction all that time despite all sorts of attempts to shift them. That's patriotic commitment!

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/EI30Dh03.html