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US commander in Japan says base moves must happen
Tokyo (AFP) July 23, 2009 The commander of US forces in Japan said Thursday a plan for the realignment of its bases there must be completed, speaking weeks before a crucial national election. Lieutenant General Edward A. Rice said the deal, which includes moving some 8,000 Marines from Okinawa island to the US territory of Guam, "is the right agreement for Japan and the people of the United States." The plan has been controversial, in part because Japan would pay billions of dollars for the move, and because US forces would open new facilities on the island, including a base in a pristine wildlife area. Okinawa is home to more than half the 40,000 US troops in Japan. Rice was speaking as the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) -- which is widely expected to take power after the August 30 lower house election -- is reportedly preparing to call for "a review" of the plan. The party has previously demanded thorough changes to the US military deployments in Japan. Its former leader Ichiro Ozawa has called for a drastic reduction of US military bases. The DPJ however has toned down its rhetoric as it has stepped closer to taking government for the first time, an outcome suggested by most polls, and has reiterated the importance of the Japan-US alliance. Analysts expect little change in Japanese diplomacy if the DPJ takes power. The United States, since defeating Japan in World War II, has been its most important military ally, providing deterrence while Japan's post-war constitution bars its Self-Defence Forces from offensive action. The DPJ has already backed off from its demand to quickly pull out of a refuelling mission supporting the US-led operations in Afghanistan. Rice said Washington would work with whatever administration rules Japan, just as Tokyo had worked with different US presidents. "After the election, we will work with whatever government the people of Japan select," said Rice. "The primacy of the relationship between the United States and Japan will remain." He added that he had not met with members of the opposition party. The former bomber pilot said the realignment plan should ensure regional security while lowering the burden on neighbours who live near US bases. Residents have in the past protested over noise from fighter jets, frictions with off-duty US troops, and other problems near the military bases. Share This Article With Planet Earth
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US counters China by deepening Asia tiesPhuket, Thailand (AFP) July 23, 2009 US President Barack Obama's administration is bidding to counter China's growing clout in Southeast Asia with steps to revive ties with a region of nearly 600 million people. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed a friendship pact here Wednesday with the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) amid complaints that Obama's predecessor George W. Bush had neglected the ... read more |
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