The government has already decisively escalated its confrontation with Okinawa Prefecture over the contentious project to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan in Okinawa to another city in the prefecture.

It is now creating fresh friction with Okinawa through plans to beef up the Self-Defense Forces presence in the southernmost prefecture. A rash move to forge ahead with the SDF enhancement will only deepen the rift.

Defense Minister Minoru Kihara recently visited the main island of Okinawa for the first time in his sixth month in office, meeting with Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki.

It is unusual for a defense minister not to visit the island, which shoulders the burden of a heavy U.S. military presence, immediately after taking office, as is often the case.

Regarding the project to build a replacement facility for the U.S. air base on reclaimed land in the coastal Henoko district of Nago, the government resumed construction through the unprecedented use of the legal process called “administrative substitute execution." 

Tamaki called for a halt to the work, but Kihara, in line with the government’s intransigent position on the issue, maintained that "relocation to Henoko is the only solution.”

In response to China's increasingly assertive military activities in areas around Okinawa, the government has incorporated a strategic "southwest shift" in its recently revised three key security policy documents, aiming to bolster the SDF’s capabilities in the southwestern region, including Okinawa.

During his meeting with Tamaki on Feb. 17, Kihara stressed the urgency of these actions, saying, ”A fundamental enhancement of defense capabilities, based on the three documents, is an immediate imperative."

However, speaking with reporters after the meeting, Tamaki expressed concerns about the way the national government is carrying out the plans, noting that "the approach of hastily advancing things has significantly intensified since the three documents were released.”

The government is steadily taking steps according to the southwest shift strategy, establishing new Ground Self-Defense Force camps on Yonaguni, Miyako and Ishigaki islands.

The Defense Ministry is believed to be considering the deployment of long-range missiles capable of striking enemy bases in Okinawa Prefecture, including on remote islands, raising doubts and concerns within local communities.

On the main island of Okinawa, the ministry plans to increase the personnel of the GSDF's 15th Brigade based in Naha, the capital of the prefecture, and upgrade it to a division.

To accommodate the increase in training, the GSDF plans to build a new training area in the city of Uruma in central Okinawa.

However, the planned construction site is adjacent to residential areas and public facilities, and local community associations are demanding the withdrawal of the plan due to concerns about noise and accidents. Tamaki also called on Kihara to scrap the plan.

Okinawa was the site of bloody and grueling ground battles between the wartime Japanese military and the invading U.S. forces during World War II.

The Imperial Japanese Army mobilized local civilians to fight a protracted battle, resulting in a huge number of casualties. There was strong opposition to the deployment of the SDF in Okinawa even at the time of its reversion to Japan after years of being under U.S. administration.

Public sentiment toward the SDF has improved significantly over time, as it has played active roles in such activities as the disposal of unexploded ordnance, the emergency transport of patients and disaster response.

However, there is still opposition to strengthening the SDF while U.S. military bases are not reduced. If the SDF rushes to carry out the expansion plans, it could provoke a serious public backlash and jeopardize the hard-earned trust.

In his meeting with the Okinawa governor, Kihara also stated that "reducing the burden of bases is one of the administration's top priorities, and we will work on it with all our might."

However, as exemplified by the Futenma relocation issue, even efforts reportedly aimed at reducing the burden on Okinawa are currently being unilaterally advanced under the government's policy.

The central government should make a sincere response to Okinawa's public concerns and start a genuine and in-depth dialogue with local communities.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 20