The U.S. Military Base Reuse in Okinawa

Rena Kamiyama, OCU

‘Okinawa cannot live without the U.S. Military bases.’ It has been said that the Okinawan economy would not last long without the income from the U.S. Military base. Some people have been saying that even now, and many people believe it.

But is this really true? Under the role of former governor Hiromasa Nakaima, Basic Plans of 21century Vision of Okinawa was drawn up in 2012. And it says that the U.S. military bases are a ‘Major obstacle that prevent Okinawa Development.’

Okinawa prefecture has researched the economic effects on reusing former U.S. military base site in 2017. According to the research, development of the sites effects positively to the Okinawan economy.

There was a housing area of military base in Naha-Shintoshin area, and it was returned in 1987. Induced production value in the area was 87,400,000,000 in 2002. Before the restitution, it was 5,500,000,000. The value became 16 times greater. The number of employees on the base was only 135 a year ago before the restitution. But many more jobs were created, and about 16,000 people work at hotels, restaurants, shops and other businesses are in the area now. The number is 118 times larger than before.

There are other excellent examples of reuse. Mihama area was reclaimed with the restitution of Hamby Airfield and a shooting practice range. And also, the area has grown up economically through reuse.

Reusing sites abandoned by the U.S. military base sounds really good for the Okinawan economy. However, it is not all good. Even if after restitution, Okinawans have to face many difficulties when we try to reuse site. One huge problem is soil contamination. In Japan-U.S. Status-of-Forces Agreement, the U.S. military is not required restore land to its original state. So, polluted land is returned to us.

Before we develop these areas, Okinawans have to examine carefully what was buried beneath the land and clean it first of all. This process requires a lot of time and energy.

Under a soccer ground in Okinawa City, 108 drum cans were found in 2013. Some of them contain dioxin:  a toxic compound that is carcinogenic and teratogenic in certain animals. The site was used to use as a part of Kadena Air Base.

Other examples about site of Camp Kuwae, weapons, unexploded bombs, oil, lead, asbestos and etc. under the returned land. Discovery of extraneous materials and restoring to original site were repeated over and over. These works pushed off  the development.

70.3% of the U.S. military base in Japan in Okinawa is preventing Okinawan economic development. It is obvious. At the same time we have to understand issues on restitution of the U.S. military base.