Extraordinary for a capital city, Tokyo and its metropolitan areas have a number of U.S. military bases. The September 14 issue of Akahata explained how extraordinary the situation is in this part of Japan.

The Tokyo area with its overcrowded population has an extraordinarily concentrated presence of U.S. military bases; Yokosuka, the only homeport for the U.S. aircraft carrier other than those in the U.S. mainland, and two major air bases at Yokota (air force) and Atsugi (navy) exist.

These facts clearly indicate that Japan is "virtually a dependent country, with an important part of its land, military matters, and other affairs of state being controlled by U.S. imperialism." This is what the Japanese Communist Party in its draft revision to the JCP Program points out.

Unthinkable in Europe

The headquarters of the U.S. Forces in Japan and the U.S. Air Force in Japan are located at the U.S. Yokota Air Base in the outskirts of Tokyo, with an airlift wing functioning as a hub of the Pacific linking the U.S. mainland with Asia.

About a half million people living near the Yokota Air Base are exposed day and night to sonic booms from U.S. aircraft .

Only one homeport outside of the U.S. for aircraft carriers

Kanagawa Prefecture hosts 16 U.S. military bases, second only to Okinawa.

The U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base, a stronghold of the U.S. Seventh Fleet operating from the Western Pacific to Africa's East coast, has been used as the homeport of the U.S. aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, the only homeport outside of the United States for U.S. aircraft carriers.

Also, one carrier-aircraft unit is deployed at the U.S. Atsugi Naval Air Station located in an area near Yamato and two other cities, the only deployment of this kind in the world.

The Kitty Hawk will reportedly retire before 2008 and will be replaced by a nuclear-powered carrier.

In March 1953, before the first Japan-U.S. Security Treaty came into effect, the Japanese and U.S. governments agreed that the U.S. ground and air forces in Japan would be deployed outside of urban areas and that the U.S. naval force would be concentrated in the minimum number of Japanese ports.

However, the U.S. has betrayed this agreement as it has increased its presence in Japan's urban areas in order to cover the whole of Asia and the Middle East with their reinforced military facilities.

The Pentagon's Quadrennial Report (2001 QDR) states that U.S. bases in Europe and Northeast Asia are assigned to play a new role as a hub in contingencies in regions outside of Asia or Europe.

Under this plan, a berth at the Yokosuka base is being extended and Army landing ships are being deployed to Yokohama Port's North Dock.

Sonic booms affect 1.5 million people

The U.S. Atsugi base is responsible for about 30,000 flights a year. U.S. aircraft fly over the densely populated area with a population of about one and a half million. Daily flight trainings by carrier aircraft are causing noises over 90 WECPNL (the Weighted Equivalent Continuous Perceived Noise Level), the highest level of all airfields in Japan in 1999 and 2000, exceeding those even of Kadena in Okinawa and Yokota in Tokyo.

Last July, residents had to live under extraordinary noise with low-altitude flights by U.S. aircraft coming back from the Iraq War. Many calls of protest were made to local governments concerned.

Also, night landing practices (NLPs) were carried out last January in preparation for the Iraq war. About 300 thousand people live within the area designated by the Japanese government to pay part of the cost for soundproofing. Such NLP operations do not take place on the U.S. mainland.

Deploying new aircraft needs further assessment in U.S.

The state-of-the-art aircraft FA18E Super Hornet is going to be deployed at the Atsugi Base in place of F14s. FA18Es, with an engine power increase of 133 percent over FA18's, will cause extremely serious noise pollution in this area.

A similar reformation is scheduled for the F14 squadron at the Oceana Naval Base in Virginia, the U.S.A. with about 400,000 residents near the base, where the U.S. Navy carried out an environmental assessment and held public hearings fourteen times. It recently decided to divide and deploy the squadron at two bases, and construct a landing on/off field away from the Oceania base.

In contrast, the U.S. Forces in Japan have done no assessment and held no public hearings. Notices of an introduction of new types of aircraft and carrying out of exercises to the Japanese side have always been made on extremely short notice. No public hearings have been held at all.

Japan's government urging people to endure noise

The Japanese government is to blame for giving top priority to allow the U.S. Forces operation without restriction in Japan. Defense Agency chief Ishiba Shigeru stated that the more U.S. pilots' skills are upgraded through NLPs, the more Japan's war deterrence is increased (February 18, 2003, at the Lower House Budget Committee).

This is the type of attitude that the people living near the U.S. bases must endure because U.S. bases are supposedly functioning in the service of Japan's national interest. (end)


http://www.japan-press.co.jp/2352/culster.html

What annoys me most is that my tax money and all the other Japanese tax payers' money is going to pay for not only the bases themselves but also into the pockets of American soldiers, the people who are committing rape crimes, hit-and-runs, and living lavish lives, much more extravagant than the average Japanese person's quality of life.

well two things, not all soldiers are commiting rape, in fact very fiew.

the other, soldiers actually happen to have very little income. They are perceived to be living extravagant lives when in actuality, they are really spending/wasteing all of their money. Payrates for servicemen is really quite low, however, living on a U.S. military base, the government pays for all their food, shelter, medical expenses, etc. Thus making nearly all of the income they do receive disposable. Since most soldiers are quite young and many do not have families, they do not have the compunction to save much if any at all. Thus they end up spending all of their money on "lavish" items when any normal person would not be able to do so with a similar income.

You noticed this eh? Does it anger you that our own people have to PAY to be abused and exploited and killed by the american military?




Read some of my other articles. There was a number of american military criminals that have been captured in five years. That number alone is ridiculous. Perhaps to you it is "very few" to me it is FAR too many.

Like I said in your other post, I wish we would close our bases there. The Japanese government doesn't really much of a choice though (sadly) because of the treaties they signed after WWII.

Those agreements have been constantly updated. At one point the americans claim their reason for staying is to "protect" japan from russia. Now russia is a piss hole. That japan no longer need fear. Japan can stand on its own feet now in te 21st century. The americans simply want to stay there so they can have wars with the rest of the region while exploiting japan. Read my posts on the suffering and oppressed okinawa people.

Well if Japan didn't get so rowdy in WWII/Sino-Japanese II wars, this wouldn't have happened.

But that's just fact, I'm not taking any sides.

Well if Japan didn't get so rowdy in WWII/Sino-Japanese II wars, this wouldn't have happened.

This event happened 50 years ago. Japan has made leap changes. We are no longer the same group of people. The japanese of today do not deserve such brutal treatment by america. It would benefit both countries greatly if the americans moved their bases out of the country.

Yeah, closing those bases would improve relations between our countries and save us (Americans) lots of tax money. But it'll probably never happen because the U.S. government wants a presence in that region. It's a sh!tty situation.

You over accentuate "brutal". This isn't brutal, trust me that's no where near brutal treatment.

Well the same thing happened to Germany as well. They attacked Russia/USSR twice (WWI&WWII). It may sound a little unfair but the Soviet Occupation in Germany was a rightful one. Russia/USSR suffered the greatest in each war in the European Theatre and deserved to occupy Germany because they're scared of another assault. Hey, I would be too.

I think not. Especially since this is not even war time. Ask a okinawa man if he thinks the way the americans have their "accidents" and drunken fits of rage is not brutal.

TDMoon360:


Only for japanese people that are suffering around these bases.

Why the sudden topics on Japanese suffering in the hands of the Americans? That's what I want to know...

If we have our bases there due to a treaty, then it's there... I can't do anything about the military... Besides, Bush and this conflict with the abuse of Iraqi prisoners is out of control...

Because the american tyranny and exploitation at the expense of japanese people today needs to be known.



The treaty is out dated now. When okinawa was returned to japan there was to have the american bases remain. Then later they were to remain to protect japan from the soviets I believe. The soviets are no longer a threat. So no more soviets should mean no more american bases.

Ogumo

If I were YOU, I'd stop blaming the government and start blaming the REPUBLICAN PARTY for the motherfu-king warmongers that they truly are!!

Haha you and the damn republican party.

how do general japanese public think about american presence?

America or the american occupational force? They have there are two different outlooks for certain groups.

american soldiers based in japan

In most provinces that hold the american base the general population there is usually ready to get rid of them. I do not know if this is the same for tokyo (they are odd people...). It is especially the case in okinawa and kanagawa. The reasons for outrage and wanting them to leave is usually the noise and enviornment destruction by the americans. The americans are quite careless in our country. Though in the areas that do not have the military bases in them or are very little affected. They buy into the "america is here to protect us" bull$hit. Japan is a mix bag.

Ya well, what can ya do about it? Japan is America's b!tch. I give props to the Iraqi so not being like them. They unite in the face of foreign invaders. Japan on other hand welcomes em (US)

Japan welcomes the US because its their top single-nation economy booster. If Japan angers the USA to create an embargo, Japan is doomed for poverty. It's harsh reality.

Well, that sucks then. It's a loser lose situation then.

Not all of us...

Ya, I'm sorry if it sounded like that Ogumo, bro.

Gomen ne. I didn't mean to come off like that. Today ain't mah day, so don't mind me if I come off as a b!tch/ignorant or anything like that and if so just tell it like it is to me. Not thinking straight atm.

But anyway there's always those that feels otherwise but it's the vibe they seema give off is what I'm talking about.
I'm feeling dyslexic atm so excuse me. Correct me if I need correcting.

Youre comment was not too far off. The japanese are the most worthless apologetic group of @$$ kissing dogs. Sigh...subserviant to america. However I myself am a part of this group. I wont give up hope just yet. Okinawa inspires me. Some of the articles I have been reading these past days bring my hate for the america army back to its proper place in my heart. I havent really been following what the americans have been up to in japan these past years. This forum will serve both as my way of letting others know and as a compilation of news. Check back here regularly. I usually post something really good with in every nine days.

I feel ya. The only thing you can do is not give up hope.
But until then, keep fighting bro.

"This forum will serve both as my way of letting others know and as a compilation of news."

I"m always willing to learn new things.

"Check back here regularly. I usually post something really good with in every nine days."

Heheh, I will. I enjoy reading your posts.

Ogumo can you/will you go one week without saying anything bad about another race,country or group.Also I dont think the crime rate is as bad as the newspapers make it out to be ,It seems like almost all the pl over there not Japanese anre commiting most of the crimes and if thats true DONT YOU THINK THERE MIGHT BE A REASON FOR IT . It's like if you have a pet and you always yell at that pet are always suspicious of it and beat itall the time ,if it attacks someone it's not the pets fualt, same goes for ppl I think the media is hyping it up more than it is l,ike cops always harrasing non japanese and japanese only clubs and not renting to foreigners stuff like that .

Ditto...

Fine. However the this week is not over just yet.



Japan is not fabricating these crimes if that is what you are saying.



When those from another country or race come into a country and commit a crime of course it gets more attention. Every country does this not just japan.



These were unprovoked crimes against the japanese people.



Japanese only places are being cracked down against. However japanese cops do harass non japanese. The choice targets tend to be white or blacks. However it is nothing on the scale of what american police do to non whites. NO WHERE NEAR IT. This also had nothing to do with the topic. I am sure these military men were not commiting crimes "in retaliation to police".

LOL! You are funny.


See that’s what I am telling you, Japn-press is a anti US news site. All the news that written by them are anti US.


Japan is an arrogant country and the people there are also arrogant. Don’t tell me that Japanese don’t even commited a single crime? It look like Japan blame everything on foreigners.


The American did not done any crime at all in Japan, it is Japan news press who create false news about how bad is the American.

LOLOL!

Huaren you are full of $hit.

My oh my Ogumo…
What an offensive comment.

A lot of very good and expensive land is taken by American military bases. Military bases don't need to be on expensive land. In a world where military can move very quickly there wouldn't be too much trouble to move their base a little where it wouldn't cause so much pollution and trouble. Huaren, if you don't want to be called curses maybe you shouldn't post things in ways that would cause people to curse at you. You should do more research about some things for one thing.

Huaren is not worth bothering with mr.tokyo. He has a agenda.