It is unrealistic to oppose against base construction without facing thesecurity environment in which the ocean under the jurisdiction ofOkinawa prefecture is in the condition of infringement
Yoshiyuki Toita
At a late stage of the World War II, in Okinawa, targeted for attack prior to theinvasion of allied forces anchored by the United States of America into the Japan's
mainland, consequently forced to experience to be the bloodiest battlefield, thewarfare took its toll resulting in some two hundred thousand war victims including
enormous numbers of civilian casualties. In postwar days, allied countries, played acentral role by the United States in occupations of Japan having accepted thePotsdam Declaration, healed the wounds of war, but the subsequent Korean War
involved Okinawa as a forward base for U.S. military forces, a key player of the UNforce. At a following stage of the East-West Cold War, numerous American militaryfacilities were established in Okinawa.
Meanwhile, just after the end of the World War II, former Japanese military forceswere dismissed, and in 1947 Japan established Constitution of Japan under theinitiative of GHQ (General Headquarters, the Supreme Commander for the AlliedPowers). Although Japan regained its sovereignty with the effectuation of San
Francisco Peace Treaty in 1952, Okinawa, located in East Asia where situated in hightensions due to Korean War and East-West Cold War, continued to keep placed under
the sway of U.S. military forces, being registered “potential sovereignty” of Japan.
Around the same time that its independence was regained, Japan made theJapan-U.S. Security Treaty with U.S.A., in order for Japan to protect its national
security by means of depending heavily on American military power, whereby Japanpromoted the postwar reconstruction and economically developed. Okinawa, however,
yet assumed a role as an important military area supporting arrangements based on
the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.
In 1972 when Okinawa went back to Japan from the sway of U.S. military forces,
the international situation surrounding Asia was then in the thick of the Cold War.
Although Japan had Self Defense Force, as a force organization, with functional
capabilities limited by the constitution established immediately after the war, its own
national security had no other choice than depending on Japan-U.S. Security Treaty,so that a large number of American military facilities still continue to exist.
After reintegration of Okinawa into Japan, Japanese government invested morethan 100 billion dollars of special treatment so far in order to have Okinawa advance,1

in addition, keeps budget for Okinawa more than 3 billion dollars on an annual basis
today. Besides these special treatments, the government achieves particular policies
into action on Okinawa, which are different from and not seen in the rest. In parallel,
American military facilities are being retroceded in a phased manner, so that these
improvements of the situation in Okinawa brought in increasing the number of visitors
both domestically and abroad, exceeding the number of Hawaii last year.
Currently both Japan-U.S. governments are carrying out a scheme as toconsolidation of two American military facilities, relocating the Futenma Air Station
exclusively used by US Marines, in spite of lying next to urban area, to Camp Schwabof US Marines’ ammunition supply base located in the same Okinawa prefecture asFutenma and viewed safer. However, as for the relocation of the Futenma base,
Okinawa prefectural governor Onaga opposes the project by reason that therelocation corresponds to construction of new base in Okinawa.
As well as improving spectacularly consolidation and scale-down of American
military facilities deployed in central area of Okinawa's main island, countries
responsible for security including many Asian countries appreciate the relocation
project that shall realize to maintain security functionalities, along with revision of thelegislations with respect to and in connection with consistent security scheme
currently undertaken by Japanese government based on affirmative- pacifism. Taking
into consideration that retrocession of American military facilities steadily advances
and that Japanese government affords special advancement budget every year, alarge number of residents of Okinawa are willing to contribute to peace and stability of
the international society, as one of residents in area where big-hearted andself-respecting people live. In Asia, while there is a country that takes on a challenge
toward changing the current conditions in South China Sea and East China Sea
displaying the might of military power, crucial is Okinawa’s role to contribute tointernational peace, as a place of strategic importance to maintain peace and stability
in East Asia and the western Pacific, Many residents of Okinawa are conscious of therole.

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