Ospreys fly to US base on Okinawa despite protests

[rachel1]

TOKYO (AP) — Six Osprey hybrid aircraft were transferred to a U.S. base on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa on Monday — and were greeted by hundreds of protesters outside the fence showing their concern about the plane's safety.

The aircraft — which takes off like a helicopter and flies like an airplane — flew safely from Iwakuni, on the Japanese main island, to U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, according to Capt. Justin Jacobs with the Third Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa.

All told, 12 of the MV-22 Osprey aircraft will be stationed at Futenma, which is surrounded by residential areas. It isn't clear when the remaining six will be moved.

Many Okinawa residents oppose their deployment after crashes in Morocco and Florida earlier this year, saying they are not safe to fly in Okinawa's crowded environment. An incident in North Carolina last month that officials called a "precautionary landing" further aggravated the sentiment.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hAVoY54uAEsKDLSJl7h__J8ghfEg?docId=05fa241e59454b2ab301f4e7a2f5c474

And the reason for why US military forces need to be deployed in Japan is...well...I can' think of one good one.

Would the reaction be any similar if Japanese military forces wanted to establish a permanent military base in the US?

[Art_from_Ark]

1. US forces are in Japan

mainly to keep China and North Korea in check. Japan is a very long country that provides a pretty good barricade between much of China/North Korea and the Pacific. It is also one of the most reliable US allies in East Asia. US military is also stationed in Japan as a means of having Japan abide by its US-imposed constitutional prohibition on having a military that can be used for aggressive purposes.

[hack89]

2. We are there because the Japanese want us there

Not only are we there at their invitation but they spend over a billion dollars a year supporting the US military - they basically pay for the bases, utilities and all the civilian wages.

As for why, there are several reasons. One is that our bases in Japan allows them to avoid the tricky issue of nuclear weapons. Right now they are under the US nuclear umbrella. The second we leave they would build nuclear weapons - with three nuclear powers as immediate neighbors they would have no real option.

The second is that they see us as a stabilizing presence in the region. They crave geopolitical stability so they can focus on economic development. The Japanese want the US as a balancing force for China and Russia.