Japanese minister says talks on US base suspended

[FarCenter]

TOKYO (AP) -- Talks on the relocation of a major American military base have been suspended, deepening a deadlock between the United States and Japan.

Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said Tuesday a high-level working group convened to discuss the move has been suspended and no date for a restart had been set, the Kyodo News agency reported.

Many on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa want the U.S. base closed and its functions moved off the island altogether. They say it poses a threat to the safety of the people who live near it, and have complained of base-related crime and environmental issues.

The relocation of the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is at the center of a dispute between Tokyo and Washington. Japan and the United States agreed in 2006 to relocate the base to a site farther north. But Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has put the deal on hold and indicated the relocation site could be changed.


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[classysassy]

1. Why are we still

in Japan and Germany?.Why are we defending those countries when there is no threat to their security or ours?.Let them defend themselves,lets use our money to take care of our own citizens.

[anonymous171]

2. You have a point with Germany

However, Japan cannot actually have a full fledged military. It would be unconstitutional. We would be fucking them over if we just up and left. I do agree that we need get rid all our other bases though.

[salguine]

3. The Japanese can't change their Constitution?

[Libertas1776]

4. Well, it's kind of a catch 22 thing

If we up and left, we'd be leaving them without much by way of national defense. However, we (The US and the Allies) pretty much put that provision in their Constitution on purpose to prevent them from ever having such a powerful military force again. Immediately after WWII it may have made more sense but 60+ years on, its pretty much up to debate.

[Monk06]

5. The Japanese constitution was written by Douglas Mc Arthur as part of the terms of surrender in 1945

As for military bases the US never leaves a country
once it plants a military base on foreign soil. Think
Gitmo

Part of that exceptionalism thang.