U.S. troops’ crimes enrage Okinawans
Osprey project deepens locals’ misgivings
For nearly 70 years, Okinawa has got more than its share of America’s military — more jets rattling homes, more crimes rattling nerves.
It’s the only Japanese island invaded by U.S. land forces during the Second World War. It endured 27 years under U.S. administration, and it continues to host two-thirds of Japan’s U.S. bases.
The 1995 rape of a schoolgirl by two marines and a sailor spread rage across the island of about 1.4 million. Now another rape and other crimes allegedly by U.S. servicemen have triggered a new wave of anger, though the suspects make up a tiny portion of the 28,000 U.S. troops stationed here.
Some Okinawans get emotional just talking about the stress they feel living in the U.S. military’s shadow.
“Everywhere, everyone who has a daughter is feeling this way,” said Tomoharu Nakasone, a father of four daughters, choking back tears.
Nakasone, who runs an FM radio station, grew up with the bases and thought he was used to the idea, even forgiving a fatal 2009 hit-and-run by a serviceman as a mistake. But he was outraged by the latest rape — in a parking lot in October — and petrified by a bizarre incident weeks later in which a 13-year-old boy was beaten in his own home while watching TV, allegedly by a U.S. airman.
There has always been a degree of strain between Okinawans and U.S. troops, but it has grown more pronounced in recent months, not only because of crime but because of safety concerns surrounding the MV-22 Osprey, a U.S. hybrid aircraft with tilting rotors recently brought to the island.
U.S. Ambassador John Roos and the commander of the U.S. forces in Japan have apologized for the crimes, promised to co-operate with the Japanese police investigations and increased restrictions on troops.
“We take the relationship with Japan very serious,” U.S. Forces Japan spokesman Lt. Col. David Honchul said. “That’s why these actions have all taken place because we are trying to show the citizens of Japan that we take this serious, and we are going to address this.”
After the October rape, an 11 p.m.to-5 a.m. curfew was set for all military personnel in Japan.
The rules were tightened further after a drunk driving accident offbase last month. Now U.S. troops in Okinawa are barred from buying or consuming alcohol off-base. Even on-base, sales of alcohol stop from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Despite the military’s efforts, many Okinawans sound fed up with American troops.
“They are being trained to kill for war. They can’t look at a person as a human being,” said Hiyori Mekaru, a 40-year-old nurse who has lived all her life on Okinawa.
Ironically, the U.S. military’s influence over Okinawans is evident even in their protests against the bases. They shout at passing cars, “Get out of here!” and “We hate you!” in good vernacular English that is unusual for most Japanese but typical for Okinawans.
Japan must weigh Okinawans’ complaints against its relationship with the U.S. military, which it values all the more as Tokyo quarrels with China over several small islands and watches nuclear-armed North Korea test its missile technology.
Okinawans are angry that Japan approved the deployment of the 12 Osprey aircraft, which began in October, though the government has asked for and received additional assurances of the aircraft’s safety.
Washington says the Osprey is safe and is needed to ensure regional security. Okinawans are concerned about two Osprey crashes earlier this year, in Florida and Morocco, and because Futenma, where the aircraft make nearly daily test flights, is in a crowded residential area.