News Navigator
News Navigator: What is the road map for U.S. military realignment in Japan?
The Mainichi answers common questions readers may have about the road map for the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan.
Question: What is the "road map" that's often mentioned when discussing the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma?
Answer: It is a detailed plan stating a deadline for proceeding with work relating to the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan. Specifically it refers to the "United States-Japan Roadmap for Realignment Implementation," agreed upon by top defense and foreign affairs officials in May 2006 at a meeting of the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee.
Q: What are the details of the road map?
A: The key implementation details in the road map are divided into six categories: realignment on Okinawa; improvement of U.S. Army command and control capability; Yokota Air Base and air space; relocation of the carrier air wing from Atsugi air facility to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni; missile defense; and training relocation. These categories are divided into individual plans, resulting in a complicated overall structure. Under the Futenma relocation plan, not only are helicopter transportation capabilities to be transferred to the Camp Schwab area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, by 2014, but air tankers are also to be moved to Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Contingency capabilities will be transferred to the Nyutabaru and Tsuiki Air Self-Defense Force bases in Miyazaki and Fukuoka prefectures.
Another pillar of the road map is the relocation of about 8,000 U.S. Marines on Okinawa and about 9,000 family members to Guam by 2014. Of the total relocation cost of 10.27 billion dollars, the Japanese government will spend up to 2.8 billion dollars for the construction of military headquarters and housing, and loan or contribute 3.29 billion dollars for the construction of family housing facilities and maintenance of infrastructure.
Q: What other things does it include?
A: It includes the return of land used for U.S. military facilities south of Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, transfer of expeditionary force headquarters to Camp Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture, and the relocation of F-18 fighters and other aircraft from Atsugi air facility to Iwakuni.
Q: Is it possible to change the site to which Futenma will be relocated?
A: The individual relocation plans are taken together as a "unified package," and U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has stated that the Futenma relocation roadmap is fundamental to the move, adding that there will be no scenario in which U.S. Marines are relocated to Guam while eliminating plans to relocate Futenma. The Japanese government will re-examine the issue until May 2010, but it is likely to face a hurdle in negotiations with the U.S. if it selects another location. (Answers by Tadashi Sengoku, Political News Department)
Click here for the original Japanese story
(Mainichi Japan) December 29, 2009