Faced with their first major change in governance since World War 2, Japan’s new Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) ruled government is seeking to relieve long-standing grievances regarding the massive US military presence.
But the US ruled out holding any negotiations with the new government regarding its 60+ year long military presence, insisting they made all the agreements they need with the outgoing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
The DPJ is reportedly playing hardball now, however, threatening to kick the US military off the island of Okinawa, which is where the bulk of their presence is situated. The islanders have long complained about the major burden of tens of thousands of US soldiers occupying a large chunk of their island.
The LDP’s solution was to pay the US billions of dollars to relocate one of their bases. The DPJ however insists that if the US wants a sustainable alliance with Japan it will return to the bargaining table, and soon.
Political reality is always playing catch up with economic reality. The economic reality is that China has eclipsed, or will very shortly, the US as Japan's number one trading partner. Money talks and bullchips walk.
The Chinese market will dwarf that of the US and the Japanese know this.
Even Australia knows this is the reality as well (and one has to wonder if Japan's sudden boldness toward the US was inspired by the rate increase in Australia this week).
Things may fall apart very fast for DC and their empire of bases.
Jesus, your map looks like the Palestinian occupation.
The Japanese have no dignity or they would not have allowed themselves to be occupied
for 60 years by war criminals.
Well, it would seem that the scoundrels have merely been in charge for 60 years, and that now they've been thrown out of power. The new Japanese government apparently isn't content to play the FedGov lapdog.
Chalmers Johnson has pointed out well in his book "Blowback" the problems with our occupation of Okinawa in regard U.S. troop's abuses of the local population, noise and other pollution, control of large tracts of land that is not accesable to the people and the fact that our presence there is just not needed for any realistic military strategic purpose.
The people of Okinawa have had little say about our presence there. It is time that we leave and use those resources more productively in other areas.
I sure the Japanese follows through with their threat, but I am not optimistic. But it sure it nice to dream now, isn't it? Down with the empire! Up with a truly free republic that stands for; life, real liberty, real property rights and a real and lasting prosperity!