It is not a bad idea for the Japanese and U.S. governments to prevent the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma Air Station and the transfer of marines stationed in Okinawa Prefecture to Guam from both collapsing.

The two governments have agreed in principle to revise the 2006 realignment project for U.S. forces in Japan.

The plan for the relocation of marines to Guam will be scaled back from 8,000 marines to 4,700. The Futenma base relocation will be separated from the marines’ Guam relocation plan, although the two had been considered together as a set. The Guam relocation plan will thus be promoted ahead of the Futenma relocation. These are the main pillars of the revision.

The number of marines to be relocated overseas will not be changed. However, the U.S. government will reportedly make arrangements to temporarily transfer approximately another 3,300 marines to such places as Hawaii and Australia.

The U.S. Defense Department probably would like to get the approval of the U.S. Congress, which has been demanding defense budget cuts, by revising the scale of the marines’ relocation from Okinawa Prefecture to Guam.

The new plan also meets the intent of the defense strategy that U.S. President Barack Obama announced in January, which puts priority on Asia.

Fears were raised that both the Guam relocation and Futenma relocation plans would collapse together if the situation was left as it was. Even the relocation of 4,700 marines to Guam would considerably reduce Okinawa Prefecture’s burden in hosting a number of U.S. bases. It is an understandable and practical judgment to realize a feasible plan for one relocation first and then move on to the other.

However, it is too optimistic to think this decision will earn high marks for the administration of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, as those close to the prime minister intended.

What is most to be feared is that sentiment for relocating the Futenma airfield will lose steam due to the prioritization of the marines’ relocation plan, resulting in no progress being made on relocating it to the Henoko district in Nago in the prefecture. This would mean the dangerous situation caused by the location of Futenma Air Station in a populous area would become permanent.

The Futenma relocation plan is the starting point and key element of the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan. We think the Henoko district is the best alternative location for Futenma even now. The central and Okinawa prefectural governments must coolly discuss the issue and make their best efforts to avoid a situation in which the Futenma Air Station permanently remains in its current place.

Once the Guam relocation plan has been smoothly accomplished, the return to Japan of the land on which U.S. military facilities such as Camp Zukeran sit will take concrete shape. We hope the central government will aim for a comprehensive agreement with Okinawa Prefecture on the prefecture’s development programs, including the return of other facilities and how to utilize the sites of such facilities, in exchange for the prefecture’s acceptance of the Futenma relocation plan.

Except for Guam, the sites to which U.S. marines will relocate from the prefecture are unclear. The U.S. government is now studying various plans, including the one to rotate them to Hawaii, Australia and the Philippines for temporary stationing.

It is important for the Japanese government to patiently negotiate with the U.S. government to realize the relocation of 8,000 marines to other countries.

The Guam transfer agreement, in which Japan promised to provide up to 2.8 billion dollars to implement the transfer, needs to be reviewed. As the scale of the relocation program from Japan to Guam will be reduced, Japan should demand that its fiscal contribution also be reduced.

It is also important to maintain the U.S. deterrence. The marines’ relocation plan originally focused on command and logistics units, but combat units will now also likely be included.

Under circumstances in which the security environment around Okinawa Prefecture is uncertain due to China’s military expansion, we urge both the Japanese and U.S. governments to send the message to China that combat readiness will not be degraded even if U.S. combat units are moved from Okinawa Prefecture.

(The Yomiuri Shimbun)

(Asia News Network)