Okinawa feels no easing of US military base burden amid 'southwest shift' strategy

May 15, 2024

Kadena Air Base, where noise from U.S. fighter jets is intensifying, is seen in this photo taken from a Mainichi Shimbun plane on Dec. 8, 2023. (Mainichi)

NAHA -- Okinawa on May 15 marked the 52nd anniversary of its reversion to Japan from U.S. rule. As Tokyo and Washington prepare to boost defensive capabilities in Japan's southwestern islands in response to China's increasing military activities, U.S. military training has intensified in Okinawa and reinforcement of Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) is also progressing.

The administration of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has stated that alleviation of the excessive burden on Okinawa of hosting U.S. military bases is "one of the government's most important issues," but due to the series of 'southwest shift' moves, the burden felt by Okinawans is instead increasing.

Parachute drop training is conducted at the U.S. military's Kadena Air Base in Kadena, Okinawa Prefecture, on Jan. 19, 2024. (Mainichi/Shinnosuke Kyan)

Hiroshi Toyama, mayor of the town of Kadena, Okinawa Prefecture, home to the U.S. Military's Kadena Air Base where many fighter jets are stationed, addressed the issue on May 13. "Our country's security environment is becoming more severe, and base operations are intensifying. It's difficult to feel that the burden has been reduced," he told reporters.

In line with the phased replacement of F-15 fighter jets starting in November 2022, noisy F-35 and other stealth fighter jets are being deployed on rotation, resulting in serious noise pollution. In November 2023, an MQ-9 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft unit was relocated from Kagoshima Prefecture. And despite a bilateral agreement for U.S. military parachute training to be conducted on the Okinawa Prefecture island of Iejima in principle, the exercises have been conducted at Kadena Air Base every month since December 2023. This has sparked protests from the Okinawa Prefectural Government and surrounding municipalities.

The Lower Plaza Housing Area that was opened to the public as a park is pictured in Kitanakagusuku, Okinawa Prefecture, on May 14, 2024. The area has not yet been formally returned to Japan, but is being jointly used by both Japan and the U.S., and U.S. installations can still be seen in the area. Pictured at rear are commercial complexes and high-rise apartment buildings in an area that was returned earlier. (Mainichi/Shinnosuke Kyan)
Since the 1972 reversion, 9,440 hectares of land once used exclusively for U.S. military facilities in Okinawa Prefecture has been returned to Japan, but by area, the prefecture still hosts 70% of U.S. military facilities in Japan. Off the coast of the city of Nago in the prefecture, meanwhile, land reclamation work is underway for the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from the local city of Ginowan.

In March 2024, the U.S. military's Lower Plaza Housing Area, covering some 23 hectares in the central part of the main island of Okinawa, was opened to the public as a "green space plaza" for joint use by Japan and the U.S. in anticipation of its future return to Japan. At a commemorative ceremony, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi described the move as a "visible achievement in reducing the (base) burden" on Okinawa. But there are no concrete plans for the subsequent return of bases for the foreseeable future.

Shinya Ito, right, head of the Okinawa Defense Bureau, provides an explanation to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, left, and others at Camp Zukeran, also known as Camp Foster, on March 30, 2024. (Mainichi/Hiroshi Higa)
Meanwhile, the deployment of new SDF units within the prefecture is steadily advancing. In March 2023, the Ministry of Defense established a Ground Self-Defense Force camp on Ishigaki Island, and in March 2024, a surface-to-ship missile regiment was stationed in the city of Uruma in central Okinawa. Japan and the U.S. frequently conduct joint training in preparation for contingencies. Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki cautioned, "The establishment of SDF facilities should be considered in conjunction with the reduction of the U.S. military base burden."

Okinawa Prefecture's economy, which had slumped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is showing signs of recovery. The number of tourists in fiscal 2023 increased by 26% compared to the previous financial year to hit 8.53 million, or 85% of the record 10 million visitors marked in fiscal 2018. The effective ratio of job offers to applicants also rose for the third consecutive year, averaging 1.17 in fiscal 2023. However, per capita income in the prefecture remains at 70% of the national average, and the rapid rise in commodity prices and fuel costs is impacting residents' lives.

(Japanese original by Hiroshi Higa, Naha Bureau)