The Okinawa Problem

The three were part of the 28,000 US troops stationed in the prefecture. Although Okinawa makes up just 0.6% of the total land area of Japan -- almost exactly the size of Los Angeles -- it hosts 75% of all US military forces stationed in Japan. Okinawa prefecture is composed of the Ryukyu Islands, with the main island being Okinawa island. US bases occupy 11% of the total land area of the prefecture, including 20% of the main island and 40% of six Okinawan cities.

The 1995 rape case exacerbated long-standing resentment against the US military presence in Okinawa. Outraged local people held numerous demonstrations, and calls increased for the reduct

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In addition, roads, waterworks, and sewerage systems must be routed to avoid the base, which creates a major obstacle in improving the city's infrastructure. The biggest rally was in Ginowan City on October 21, with some 85,000 people (almost 8% of Okinawa's population) participating.

Hit-and-run cases involving US military personnel are also frequent, along with minor traffic accidents (a little more than 1,000 per year) and traffic-related deaths. (About a third of the US-occupied land is leased private property. But although Japanese authorities requested custody of the suspects on September 8, that request was rejected based on the extraterritorial status held by US personnel under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Until 1996, however, military vehicles were not required to have license plates, making it difficult for civilian victims or witnesses to identify the responsible party. Demonstrators demanded the elimination of crimes committed by US military personnel, revision of the SOFA, and the realignment and reduction of US bases in Okinawa.

"Cohen Rejects 15-Year Limit on Okinawa Relocation Facility," The Hindustan Times Online (March 18, 2000) [online]; available: Common topics in this essay:
Futenma MCAS, Air Base, Self-Defense Forces, Situation Control, Hague Convention, Ota Masahide, Agreement SOFA, Ginowan City, Ryukyuanist According, Forces Japanese, futenma mcas, military bases, bases okinawa, military bases okinawa, okinawan people, accessed 19 march, march 2001, available internet, online available, available internet accessed, military personnel, internet accessed 19, 19 march, 19 march 2001, okinawa governor,

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Approximate Pages = 21 (250 words per page double spaced)

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