U.S., Japan Strengthen Military Ties

The U.S. and Japan concluded the final report on realignment of U.S. forces stationed in Japan yesterday to consolidate the two countries’ armed forces’ ability to carry out integrated responsibilities and expanding the role of Self-Defense Forces in the Asia-Pacific region.

The two countries also decided to strengthen the Missile Defense (MD) system and expand the scope of sharing military information. They are planning to wrap up the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan by 2014.

The two countries agreed on this in a U.S.-Japan security guarantee meeting in Washington in which U.S. State Secretary Condoleezza Rice, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Defense Minister Fukushiro Nukaga participated. This wrapped up three years of negotiations on the realignment of U.S. troops stationed in Japan.

The two countries declared in the statement that “the U.S.-Japan alliance has entered a new phase.” This is contrary to Korea’s disagreements with the U.S. over the realignment and strategic flexibility of U.S. forces in Korea.

According to a joint report agreed on that day, the U.S. First Army Command in Washington will be relocated to the Zama base in Kanagawa to be rearranged as the UEX, which carries out the integrated missions of the armed forces.

Also, agreeing on the thorniest issue between them, they decided to relocate the Futenma Air Station in Okinawa to the shore of Camp Schwab by 2014 and wrap up the relocation of 8,000 marines to Guam.

Rumsfeld said in a press conference that day, “Not everything is satisfactory, but we need to put our words into action,” adding, “There is still work to be done to realize a desirable U.S.-Japan alliance.”

Reportedly, Nukaga proposed a revision of the existing guidelines of U.S.-Japan defense cooperation, to which Rice responded, saying, “The remark was a very important proposal.”

The Japanese government is planning to submit a related bill to the special session of the parliament in the fall to secure a legal basis for charges needed for the military realignment.

However, the report did not clarify the sum of Japan’s allotted charges for the military alignment, which is expected to reach $26 billion. Although agreeing that Japan would pay $6.09 billion for the relocation of 8,000 U.S. marines in Okinawa to Guam, the U.S. and Japan did not officially discuss other expenses.

The Asahi Shimbun said, “The U.S. military, which seeks global realignment, and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces have declared they will move toward integration.” But it also added, “Japan has things to be done, including the generation of a legal basis for shouldering the expenses.”

Young-A Soh sya@donga.com