Why US Military Bases on Okinawa are So Controversial
the highest concentration of American forces in Japan for decades have always been within the small far Southern Japanese island of okanawa despite making up only 0.6% of Japan’s total land area 62% of America’s military bases in Japan are all concentrated here the small island of okanawa is also densely populated with nearly 1 and A2 million people who live there and yet roughly 25% of all the Island’s land is controlled exclusively by the US Military and the 30,000 American troops stationed there and their presence here is among the most controversial of any of America’s overseas deployments worldwide despite taking up 25% of the Island’s land the US military presence on okanawa only contributes between 4 to 5% of the Island’s total economy and restricts 1/4 of the Island’s land from further Economic Development or housing for the local okan residents which has led to okan Citizens arguing that they face a disproportionate burden of hosting the US military in Japan
Watch the full video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf-eHVa-2zE&t=4s
Please subscribe – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5tjEmvPItGyLhmjdwP7Ww
30 Comments
I was stationed at Kadena AFB. The okinawans hate the American military, the mainland Japanese govt, and the Chinese govt. They want independence, and a peaceful life. They have always been a pawn in Foreign policy.
And to be fair, they do.
In exchange, they keep china out
I am pretty sure this belong to China and Okinawans needs to learn Chinese immediately when US leaves!
Isn’t Zach Bryan from there
Okay, then raise taxes, fund and defend yourself then.
Price for protection.
That is why Japan is not a free country but a US colony .
Due to China and Russia being at their door I'm guessing it's a bargain having the US there
Japan will throw us out in due time.
This is a short and I get that not everything can be fit into it, but I feel like a full length video on the history of Okinawa and the connotations of the agreement between the US and Japan regarding the modern US occupation of the area would be a good idea. There is so much complexity to the history of Okinawa that isn't even related to the US that makes the modern situation they face even more saddening. Prior to WW2, Japan didn't even regard the Okinawan people as human and did not consider them equal to the Japanese due to them being desperate groups historically. Okinawa has been fought over by China and Japan for centuries, all the while the Okinawan people reject both and consider themselves their own nation. When Japan finally annexed Okinawa from China, they treated them as inferiors. Japanese people were directed not to marry or have families with Okinawans. Okinawans weren't allowed in most Japanese public places. During WW2, the Japanese would load ships with civilian Okinawans and send them off with the intention of being blown up by enemy ships. The Okinawans are angry with America for making an agreement with their oppressors that only benefited Japan in the situation. Japan didn't want to have to give up it's military AND allow another nations military to occupy the mainland. That would have been the collapse of their government from perceived weakness by the citizens. So they offered up the land they didn't like the people on and didn't care what happened to them. Japan knew America would take it because if there was one thing America hated more than Japan at that time, it was communism, and Okinawa gave America a strategic staging site for spying on China.
time to give most of it back I think. The japanese "defense" force is a military in their own right. They can protect themselves. Just keep a navy element to allow for easy resupply for US ships in the region
Well when you lose a war the victors get to do what they want
The Japanese people and culture exist bc the US was benevolent at the end of WWII.
I want to be ninja🇺🇸
Womp womp. Trivial concerns compared to the bigger picture. Thousands of Americans soaked Okinawa’s soil with their own blood during the war so it goes without saying that the us military is entitled to some of it.
We won it's ours
I’m gonna be honest, I wouldn’t want us there either of if I was them. The liberty incidents I hear about are bad smh
I don't know, maybe don't start surprise wars you can't win and we won't have to come babysit you for the next hundred plus years?
Well they shouldn't have fucked around in the 30s and 40s
Unfortunately theres little they can do because the Japanese government does not fairly represent Okinawans votes in parliament as they do not consider then ethnically japanese.
We should leave.
Maybe they shouldn't have you know bombed pearl harbor????
The US Empire expands…
As a Canadian. I love having America as a neighbour. We just need to do our part in the arctic
It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal.
Eso se llama colonia
Base militar mis huevos
🇯🇵: WtF
🇺🇸: Hahaha
🇯🇵: Noo!!!!
🇯🇵: kills
i don't care from japan.
thanks to keep pease in pacific
🇯🇵🤝🇺🇸
As an American🇺🇸, let’s hope that our U.S. military bases on Okinawa will be reduced from 25% to about less than 3%. Because the Okinawa population deserves to have a better future for their native islands of Okinawa to have a very safe and fully protected environment without U.S. crime and Japanese crime activities from happening again. Also the original Okinawan Royal Family are still alive today after the 1879 Japanese Annexation on Okinawa, I think someday the Okinawan Royal Family should reclaim their royal title for Okinawa when the time will come. Thank you!
Love❤️and Peace☮️for Okinawa🌺