Daibutsu, Kamakura

Daibutsu, Kamakura
Daibutsu in Kamakura, June 2010. There were thousands of school kids visiting that day. It was still great fun.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Japan PM, hoping to break impasse, gathers Cabinet to discuss US base move


Japan PM, hoping to break impasse, gathers Cabinet to discuss US base move - latimes.com

Hatoyama's approval ratings are sinking like the Titanic. Which is interesting since Hatoyama continues to work towards a plan to relocate the American Marine base in Okinawa, a subject that is popular with the Japanese public. However, his plans don't go far enough as far as most Okinawan's are concerned so Hatoyama is even less popular in Okinawa.

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, Hatoyama's approval rating is a dismal 24 percent. That's George W. Bush territory.

6 comments:

  1. You know, I've been following this whole Okinawa base thing for the last month or two since it's gotten especially heated... Admittedly not following it too closely, but your post made me realize that while I think I have a pretty good sense of what the Okinawans want, and what Washington wants, I'm actually really unclear on what the Japanese people (outside of Okinawa) want.

    Are most people in Japan more or less on the side of the Okinawans, opposed to the bases? Or are a lot of people just happy that it's not in their backyards?

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  2. That's a good question. No doubt the feelings are stronger in Okinawa compared to the rest of Japan. It was my feeling from browsing the various news stories that is was somewhat popular among the rest of the population as well. But I am not entirely certain how much the rest of Japan cares.

    Maybe some other readers who live in Japan might have a better feeling of public opinion.

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  3. Have you seen this video?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxBl9aahPZ0&feature=related

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  4. Thanks for the video link. I wouldn't want to live next to that base. Yokota airbase which I have driven by on several occasions is the same way.

    But so are numerous American bases in the States. I am not certain so if I am wrong, I apologize, but wasn't this Okinawa base somewhat remote in the past and then the community grew up around it?

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  5. Originally it was remote, then they grew up around it. Its the El Toro situation all over again.

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  6. Personally if I moved next to a military base that was there long before me or any of the homes around it, I really couldn't complain about the noise. But that's me. Plus this is an issue about a foreign nations military base. But I assume there are some noisy Japanese air bases too, you just don't hear about them.

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