U.S. military controversy - Okinawa
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By Daniel Kun in Serious Stuff Published: Tuesday, 16 September 08 - 03:03 AM (GMT +09:00) |
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Because the islands are close to China and Taiwan, the United States has large military bases on the island. The area of 14 US bases are 233 square kilometres (90 sq mi), occupying 18% of the main island. Okinawa accounts for less than one percent of Japan's land, but hosts about two-thirds of the 40,000 American forces in the country. Two major bases, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and Kadena Air Base are located near residential areas. One third (9,852 acres) of the land used by the U.S. military is the Marine Corps Northern Training Area in the north of the island.
85% of Okinawans oppose the presence of the U.S. military due to noise pollution from military drills, aircraft accidents, environmental degradation, and crimes committed by U.S. military personnel. The Okinawan prefectural government and local municipalities have made various withdrawal demands of the US military since the end of WWII, but any fundamental solution was never performed by both of the Japanese and U.S. governments.
It has been claimed that some US soldiers raped Okinawan women during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. While the number of Okinawan women raped by US troops is not known, historian Peter Schrijvers states that an Okinawan historian has estimated that the number may have exceeded 10,000, and that this is consistent with the incidence of reported rapes during the first 10 days of the Occupation of Japan. In 1998 the remains of 3 executed presumed rapists from the occupation forces were discovered in a cave.
In 1955 Isaac J. Hart was accused but not convicted of the rape and murder of six-year-old Yumiko. This is known as "The Yumiko Incident". Forty years later, on September 4, 1995, two U.S. marines and a sailor abducted and raped a 12-year-old girl. At the time of the incident, Japanese police could not arrest the men known to be involved because they had to remain with the United States Military until charged in a court, see U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement. Anti-military base emotions erupted in some of the largest protests in recent history. Eventually through political pressure, the soldiers were tried and convicted in early 1996. As a result of this incident the Status of Forces Agreement, which was criticized for being too protective of U.S. servicemen involved in crimes, underwent revision. A movement to reduce the size of US military presence on Okinawa gained popularity. In November of 1995, a group called "Okinawan Women Act Against Military Violence" was organized to raise awareness of crimes alleged to have been committed by U.S. military personnel on the island. Sentiments against the United States military presence in Okinawa were inflamed further by the Michael Brown Okinawa assault incident, in which a Marine Corps major charged with attempted rape (and later convicted of the reduced charge of attempted indecent assault) was not turned over to the Japanese authorities at their request. Okinawa authorities pressed for a modification of the Status of Forces Agreement in an effort to remove the military's unilateral right to determine whether it would turn over a servicemember charged with a serious crime.
Tensions increased even more following allegations of an assault committed by an American servicemen against a minor, a restriction was imposed to all U.S. military and Status of Forces Agreement eligible personnel at bases in Okinawa and Iwakuni in February, 2008. It has since been lifted.
In April 2008 the U.S. Military charged a Marine with raping a 14-year-old girl in Okinawa, pressing ahead with a case that spurred protests against the U.S. presence on the island. U.S. military charges against Staff Sgt. Tyrone L. Hadnott include rape of a child under 16, abusive sexual conduct, making a false official statement, adultery and "kidnapping through inveigling," or trickery. Hadnott was later cleared of the charge of rape and kidnapping and convicted on the assault charge with a prison sentence of three years.
PS: Following the Battle of Okinawa and the end of World War II in 1945, Okinawa was under the United States administration for 27 years. During the trusteeship rule the USAF established numerous military bases on the Ryukyu islands.
In 1972, the U.S. government returned the islands to Japanese administration. Under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, the United States Forces Japan (USFJ) have maintained a large military presence. 27000 personnel, including 15000 Marines, contingents from the Navy, Army and Air Force, and their 22,000 family members are stationed in Okinawa.[2] 18% of the main island was occupied by US military bases and 75% of all USFJ bases are located in Okinawa prefecture
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