- 20 Jan 2017 00:36
#14765247
The return of Okinawa
The Japanese are defending their rights on the Okinawa island. It seems that their hopes will come true. At least they are trying to promote that. Of course this is not a complete liberation from the bonds of boring "ally", but at least another step towards independence. On December 22, 2016, Japan received about four thousand acres of land on Okinawa occupied by U.S. military facilities. The U.S. will continue to return to Japan the land used for military bases. Currently Okinawa Prefecture is a major military base for the United States in East Asia. There are 74% of all US military facilities in Japan, occupying one-fifth part of the island. About 25.8 thousand of US troops and 19 thousand of members of their families and civilians stay in Okinawa. After the transfer of part training ground, their number will be reduced to 70%.
It is possible that the drawdown of American troops will have a positive impact on reducing crime in Okinawa.
Japan has repeatedly protested the deployment of American bases due to the annual growth of violations of American servicemen. Thus, according to the Okinawa Prefecture data, during the period from 1972 to 2010 23 incidents involving the US military happened every month, 13 of them were criminal. The US military committed more than 5,8 thousand crimes on Okinawa after the transfer under Japan's sovereignty in 1972. And 571 considered as "serious crimes". However, it is doubtful that someone of the criminals was convicted. According to the agreement of 1960, American servicemen committed crimes are the subject to the American law. Thus, the large number of offenses and crimes committed by American soldiers avoid punishment. U.S.–Japan Status of Forces Agreement of 1960 provides personnel and civilian employees of US military bases immunity from prosecution by Japanese authorities if the offence was committed while on duty or on base.
The Japanese authorities tired to express the outrage and regret at the growth of crime, as the USA each time promised to strengthen discipline in the armed forces and to prevent new offences.
After the murder of a woman in the summer of 2016, the governments of two countries began to negotiate the status of employees of U.S. military bases, which granted immunity from prosecution by Japanese authorities. In the result, the sides reached an agreement that the civilian staff recruited from the local population (as the person who committed the described crime) will not enjoy the privileges provided by this agreement.
In addition, the Japanese government decided to form special inter-Ministerial unit. This unit will prevent the criminal actions of the American servicemen staying on U.S. military bases in Japan.
Perhaps the taken measures will bring the desired result, and the level of crimes on the US bases in Japan will reduce. However, all taken before this measure had no the desired effect.
The Japanese are defending their rights on the Okinawa island. It seems that their hopes will come true. At least they are trying to promote that. Of course this is not a complete liberation from the bonds of boring "ally", but at least another step towards independence. On December 22, 2016, Japan received about four thousand acres of land on Okinawa occupied by U.S. military facilities. The U.S. will continue to return to Japan the land used for military bases. Currently Okinawa Prefecture is a major military base for the United States in East Asia. There are 74% of all US military facilities in Japan, occupying one-fifth part of the island. About 25.8 thousand of US troops and 19 thousand of members of their families and civilians stay in Okinawa. After the transfer of part training ground, their number will be reduced to 70%.
It is possible that the drawdown of American troops will have a positive impact on reducing crime in Okinawa.
Japan has repeatedly protested the deployment of American bases due to the annual growth of violations of American servicemen. Thus, according to the Okinawa Prefecture data, during the period from 1972 to 2010 23 incidents involving the US military happened every month, 13 of them were criminal. The US military committed more than 5,8 thousand crimes on Okinawa after the transfer under Japan's sovereignty in 1972. And 571 considered as "serious crimes". However, it is doubtful that someone of the criminals was convicted. According to the agreement of 1960, American servicemen committed crimes are the subject to the American law. Thus, the large number of offenses and crimes committed by American soldiers avoid punishment. U.S.–Japan Status of Forces Agreement of 1960 provides personnel and civilian employees of US military bases immunity from prosecution by Japanese authorities if the offence was committed while on duty or on base.
The Japanese authorities tired to express the outrage and regret at the growth of crime, as the USA each time promised to strengthen discipline in the armed forces and to prevent new offences.
After the murder of a woman in the summer of 2016, the governments of two countries began to negotiate the status of employees of U.S. military bases, which granted immunity from prosecution by Japanese authorities. In the result, the sides reached an agreement that the civilian staff recruited from the local population (as the person who committed the described crime) will not enjoy the privileges provided by this agreement.
In addition, the Japanese government decided to form special inter-Ministerial unit. This unit will prevent the criminal actions of the American servicemen staying on U.S. military bases in Japan.
Perhaps the taken measures will bring the desired result, and the level of crimes on the US bases in Japan will reduce. However, all taken before this measure had no the desired effect.
- By Rancid
- By Unthinking Majority
- By wat0n