What US Needs to Know about Okinawa

The government of Japan on Friday submitted a request of permission to the local government of Okinawa, which was needed for the landfill on Henoko coastal area in Nago city in the north of Okinawa Island. Although the process is necessary for the relocation plan of Futenma Air Base of United States Marine Corp, there seems to be no chance to have the permission from the governor of Okinawa. Looking this gridlock as a matter between Tokyo and Okinawa, US government just waits and sees what is happening. But, there are something US leaders need to know about it.

Firstly, pushing current relocation plan undermines democracy of Okinawa. Regardless of handlings by the administration of Democratic Party of Japan was good or bad, all forty-one cities, towns and villages in Okinawa, in addition to Okinawa prefectural congress, had passed the resolutions of resisting Henoko relocation plan. Every small town in Japan has its own decision making system mainly through local congress. In terms of Henoko plan, Okinawa is unanimously against it. An attempt to overturn that decision may recognized as a pressure from dictatorial power.

Secondly, although the protest is mainly made against Tokyo, people in Okinawa see no difference of US government from the government of Japan. Toward Japanese government, Okinawa feels rigidity and inflexibility on a decision, intensified neglect or ignorance of what people think about, and hopelessness for their demands. But the people suppose those attitudes of Tokyo is not genuinely determined by the government itself, but is controlled by America. The more US government keeps silent, the further Okinawa becomes doubtful about American influence.

Lastly, people in Okinawa basically want to stay in Japan as responsible citizens. That was because they were proud of being Japanese citizens that they had been angry about being separated from Japan and laid under the administration of US in 1951. They are not fundamentally saying that all US bases must be gone, but are willing to accept moderate burden for Japan’s national security. They are just saying that it is not fair.

Having said that, leaders of the US government have to acknowledge the necessity of talking with Japanese government more about how to deal with Okinawa issue. Leaving this issue on the hand of Japanese government, America virtually keeps on pushing burdens on Okinawa making matters worse. It is impossible for a government to remove all the people, even how it wants to make a great fortress there. If their requirements are not fulfilled so long, the people in Okinawa may be looking for friends other than Japan and US.