On American military presence

It is no longer possible for the Japanese government to simply ignore the feelings of its people towards the presence of United States bases in Japan following a referendum on Sunday. In Nago, Okinawa, 53 percent of voters cast their ballot against the construction of a U.S. military heliport. However, the facility may still be built since the outcome of the vote was not binding.

Whatever ultimately is decided, Tokyo has to find a way to convince its citizens of the strategic importance of the American forces or risk growing discontent from those who resent the sonic booms, racial incidents, crime, and slow-moving military traffic associated with the U.S. presence. The strongest dissatisfaction with the presence of U.S. bases in Japan is concentrated precisely where 75 percent of them are located, and where their presence is most strategically vital: Okinawa. It is tempting to view this issue in rather parochial terms by, for example, weighing the economic benefits of the U.S. presence against the growing resentment of local people towards the Americans.

It also is tempting to note that the manifestations of the American presence were distinctly unpopular in Okinawa even before the brutal September 1995 rape of a 12-year-old girl and the mass demonstrations that followed. The rape merely accentuated the deep-seated feelings against the foreign presence.

But there are wider, strategic considerations that must be taken into account. There have, from time to time, been accusations made against Japan that it is planning military aggression in Asia. These fears were heightened on 24 September when the U.S. and Japan announced defense guidelines that committed the two countries to an enhanced military alliance. It is against this broader perspective that the latest referendum in Okinawa must be considered.

-- The Hong Kong Standard