Japan's PM vows to proceed with U.S. base relocation in Okinawa after poll

[webfact]

Japan's PM vows to proceed with U.S. base relocation in Okinawa after poll

 

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers a speech during a joint news conference alongside Romania's President Klaus Werner Iohannis (not pictured) in Bucharest, Romania, January 16, 2018. Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea via REUTERS/File Photo

 

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe welcomed on Monday the victory of a ruling party-backed candidate in a mayoral election on Okinawa, vowing to press ahead with a controversial plan to move a U.S. Marines air base on the southern island.

 

The candidate, Taketoyo Toguchi, backed by Abe's ruling coalition, defeated incumbent Susumu Inamine, who opposed moving the U.S. Marines' Futenma air base to his city of Nago in Okinawa's north from a more populous part of the island.

 

The victory by Toguchi - who stressed boosting Okinawa's economy in his campaign - is expected to give impetus to the long-stalled plan to relocate the base.

 

The election came just days before U.S. Vice President Mike Pence was scheduled to visit Japan this week on a trip expected to focus on security ties in face of North Korea's nuclear and missile threat.

 

"I would like to proceed (with the relocation) based on a ruling by the Supreme Court of Japan, while seeking understanding of the public," Abe told reporters.

 

He said he wanted to support Okinawa's development.

 

Japan's Supreme Court ruled in 2016 in favour of a government plan to relocate the U.S. military base, dealing a blow to islanders' efforts to get rid of the base altogether.

 

Japan's central government and authorities on Okinawa - reluctant host to the bulk of U.S. military forces in the country - have bickered for years over the plan, first agreed between Tokyo and Washington in 1996.

 

Many Okinawa residents have long associated the U.S. military presence with crime, pollution and accidents, and resentment was rekindled by a spate of incidents involving U.S. military aircraft. In December, a window fell from a U.S. helicopter onto a school sports field, fanning safety concerns.

 

The Nago result could bode ill for Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga, another base opponent who is up for re-election later this year.

 

(Reporting by Kaori Kaneko and Linda Sieg; Editing by Paul Tait)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-02-05

[dorchester]

my humble opinion is the US pull out of South Korea and Japan and allow them to defend themselves.For too long freedom has been free.Its time for the US to stop involvement here and for them to grow a pair.

[isaanbanhou]

7 minutes ago, dorchester said:

my humble opinion is the US pull out of South Korea and Japan and allow them to defend themselves.For too long freedom has been free.Its time for the US to stop involvement here and for them to grow a pair.

 What about Andersen Air Force Base Apra Harbor Guam, Balad Air Base/Camp Anaconda, Iraq  ,Bezmer Air Base, Bulgaria, ( U.S. Navy) Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory ,  Guantnamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba and

 (U.S. Air Force) Manas Air Base, Kirgizstan,. 

 

Importance seems to be your thing

[robblok]

12 minutes ago, dorchester said:

my humble opinion is the US pull out of South Korea and Japan and allow them to defend themselves.For too long freedom has been free.Its time for the US to stop involvement here and for them to grow a pair.

Your quite delusional to think the US is there to protect those countries. The US is there to protect their world power and influence. Its a nice scam to pretend its for those countries. IMHO its not.

[PhonThong]

18 minutes ago, isaanbanhou said:

 What about Andersen Air Force Base Apra Harbor Guam, Balad Air Base/Camp Anaconda, Iraq  ,Bezmer Air Base, Bulgaria, ( U.S. Navy) Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory ,  Guantnamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba and

 (U.S. Air Force) Manas Air Base, Kirgizstan,. 

 

Importance seems to be your thing

What's the problem with Guam? Guam is a U.S. territory. People from Guam are U.S. citizens.

[isaanbanhou]

3 minutes ago, PhonThong said:

What's the problem with Guam? Guam is a U.S. territory. People from Guam are U.S. citizens.

Yes it was stolen from the Spanish who stole it from the Chamorros.

 

They have fewer rights than Puerto Ricans or  inhabitants of Northern Mariana Islands.

 

[Scott]

Please stick to the topic of Japan.  

 

[hansnl]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

Your quite delusional to think the US is there to protect those countries. The US is there to protect their world power and influence. Its a nice scam to pretend its for those countries. IMHO its not.

Delusional?

Who?

[ksamuiguy]

 

19 hours ago, hansnl said:

Delusional?

Who?

One of the hardest fought battles of WW2, we lost a lot of men taking Okinawa.

Bottom line We WON , You LOST, we own that island forever and I would fight for it again if necessary.

 

Not even part of Japan , during the war just another road block to delay the coming defeat.

 

Asian You Lost,  We whipped your ass, get over it.  Read the surrender paper WE OWN YOU!

 

 

[arithai12]

6 hours ago, dorchester said:

my humble opinion is the US pull out of South Korea and Japan and allow them to defend themselves.For too long freedom has been free.Its time for the US to stop involvement here and for them to grow a pair.

yes please.

[ilostmypassword]

1 hour ago, ksamuiguy said:

One of the hardest fought battles of WW2, we lost a lot of men taking Okin

awa.

Bottom line We WON , You LOST, we own that island forever and I would fight for it again if necessary.

 

Not even part of Japan , during the war just another road block to delay the coming defeat.

 

Asian You Lost,  We whipped your ass, get over it.

Read the surrender paper WE OWN YOU!

 

 

Seems to me like you're still suffering from PTSD. Anyway, thank you for your heroic service on Guam. I certainly hope that it won't be necessary to deploy someone as old as you must be to retake Guam from the impending Japanese invasion and occupation.

Edited February 5, 2018 by ilostmypassword

[tryasimight]

18 hours ago, ksamuiguy said:

One of the hardest fought battles of WW2, we lost a lot of men taking Okinawa.

Bottom line We WON , You LOST, we own that island forever and I would fight for it again if necessary.

 

Not even part of Japan , during the war just another road block to delay the coming defeat.

 

Asian You Lost,  We whipped your ass, get over it.  Read the surrender paper WE OWN YOU!

 

 

Until the next conflict.

[newatthis]

18 hours ago, ksamuiguy said:

One of the hardest fought battles of WW2, we lost a lot of men taking Okinawa.  Bottom line We WON , You LOST, we own that island forever and I would fight for it again if necessary.

 

Not even part of Japan , during the war just another road block to delay the coming defeat.

 

Asian You Lost,  We whipped your ass, get over it.  Read the surrender paper WE OWN YOU!

 

 

Wow. Never thought that attitude still existed in the 21st century.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies removed.  

[ksamuiguy]

I defer to those of you who have lost parents, brothers, sisters defending "Our Freedom", yes the freedom of the world.

No one cares anymore, no one knows the history of the sacrifices made to give you the freedoms you enjoy today.

When the next conflict comes and it will you will again call on those brave men and women to protect Your Freedom even at the costs of their own lives.

 

[ilostmypassword]

1 hour ago, ksamuiguy said:

I defer to those of you who have lost parents, brothers, sisters defending "Our Freedom", yes the freedom of the world.

No one cares anymore, no one knows the history of the sacrifices made to give you the freedoms you enjoy today.

When the next conflict comes and it will you will again call on those brave men and women to protect Your Freedom even at the costs of their own lives.

 

Losing a relative in the armed services gives one a special insight into geopolitics how exactly?

[MrMuddle]

16 hours ago, ksamuiguy said:

One of the hardest fought battles of WW2, we lost a lot of men taking Okin

awa.

Bottom line We WON , You LOST, we own that island forever and I would fight for it again if necessary.

 

Not even part of Japan , during the war just another road block to delay the coming defeat.

 

Asian You Lost,  We whipped your ass, get over it.

Read the surrender paper WE OWN YOU!

 

 

How on earth is this post not racist ?
In a war since WWII, the US lost to an Asian country, they whipped YOUR ass.

[ksamuiguy]

I see you have never been there or done that!

Geopolitics my ass, when they come for you and yours it will be interesting to see who saves you and yours!

More interestingly will be who comes when you need them.

The world is a dangerous place!

[ilostmypassword]

5 minutes ago, ksamuiguy said:

I see you have never been there or done that!

Geopolitics my ass, when they come for you and yours it will be interesting to see who saves you and yours!

More interestingly will be who comes when you need them.

The world is a dangerous place!

And what exactly does that have to do with deferring to the judgement of people whose relatives have died in uniform?

[wwest5829]

9 hours ago, newatthis said:

Wow. Never thought that attitude still existed in the 21st century.

 

9 hours ago, newatthis said:

Wow. Never thought that attitude still existed in the 21st century.

Do please, keep in mind that person’s statement does not speak for me as an American... Sounds like trolling...

Edited February 6, 2018 by wwest5829