Military survey in Japan: the results are in
A quick trawl of the Japanese news feeds has shown that the US military survey that was started last week has now published its findings. Apparently, 92,491 people “connected” with the military were living in Japan as of March 2007, with 21,885 (23.7%) living off base. Regarding Okinawa, there were 45,403 people connected with the military living here, with 10,319 (22.7%) living off-base. When the word “connected” is used, I am assuming this means people in the military, their families and contractors that are working for the military. What is unclear is whether Japanese spouses, families and workers for the military are counted in their figures. I assume they are not but this is not stated and could be distorting the figures somewhat.
Some minor updates from Okinawa
Apologies for the lack of updates yesterday. If there had been something of note to report then I would have done. Unfortunately, I was very busy and the news I heard was just snippets so I left them out. But let’s have a little recap now.
Firstly, as Brian quickly noted in one of his comments, the Marine who was arrested for trespassing has been freed without charge. The condition of him not being charged is that he apologised and paid compensation to the victim. This brings up a couple of interesting facets of Japanese crime and being charged. For a number of offences like this, charges are not made against the alleged criminal as long as they pay compensation to the victim. It’s almost as if they are saying, “We’ll forget all about this, as long as you bow deeply and pay some money to the victim of the crime”. And secondly, I have read a number of news stories in Okinawa of men groping girls in the evening or similar offences, where a plausible excuse has been that “I was drunk”. Would be interested to know of other countries that adopt a similar policy.
People caught off base - severe consequences
This news in the form of a circular email just in, which will be important to anyone living here in Okinawa, and especially those under lockdown at the moment:
I had a short discussion with ****** this morning regarding the rumors I’ve been hearing about violations of the general order. Unfortunately the rumors are true. According to ******, to date, there have been 23 SOFA status individuals removed from Okinawa since the general order took effect. 23. Individuals have been given 48 hours to pack-out, and depart. These are folks that have been seen at places like Starbucks, McDonalds, CoCos curry, and even visiting Okinawan friends. Clearly, the military command intends to enforce this general order. Two things:
1. If you intend, or need, to be off base, for any reason - please use the approved procedure. Request the off base time, get the request approved, and keep the letter of approval in your possession.
2. Don’t be off base.
We don’t want to lose any of our people this way.
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Be warned ladies and gents: now is not the time to go testing the military’s patience by going off base. Just let me know and I’ll bring your Megamac/frappuchino/chicken jalfrezi to you (for a small fee of course!)
Lockdown in Okinawa killing business
Another story coming through on Stars & Stripes, this time about how the base restrictions are killing business in the Chatan and Okinawa City areas of Okinawa. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of you who live here in Okinawa and see how much the US military injects into the local economy.
OKINAWA CITY - Gate Two Street, normally a hub of activity on a Saturday night, was brightly lit but ghostly quiet.
The street runs a few blocks from Highway 330 to a Kadena Air Base gate and the sidewalks are usually crowded with young servicemembers visiting the bars and restaurants and other businesses that rely heavily on the military to sustain themselves.
But all people affiliated with the U.S. military were placed on restriction last week for an indefinite period of greflectionh in the wake of several alleged crimes by servicemembers.
No onefs allowed off-base except for medical or religious reasons, unless he or she lives in the community. Even then, people living off-base have been told to restrict themselves to their homes.
Many of the entertainment districtfs bars were closed. The only business activity seemed to be a few teenage girls in a clothing store looking over the latest in stateside hip-hop fashions.
At 9 p.m. Saturday at Paddy Macfs, an Irish pub on Park Avenue, three Okinawans shared a few pints of Guinness and orders of fish and chips and two others drank at the bar. Owner Martin McIntyre sat in a back booth and shook his head.
gThis is killing me,h he said. gAny other Saturday therefd be 60 people packed in here, with the regulars watching the football matches on the telly. And therefd be a bunch hanging around outside on the sidewalk.h
McIntyre said he understood the need for the U.S. military to send a message to the Okinawa community that it was taking the off-base behavior of its personnel seriously - geven if itfs punishing thousands of people for the acts of a few.h
gI just hope the restriction will be lifted soon,h he said. gThe thing Ifm worried about is the whole negative effect it will have on the parade and other events we have planned for St. Patrickfs Day.h
The parade is scheduled for March 15.
gBut wefve been hearing this restriction could last until March 25,h he said. gThat would kill it.h
Sitting with McIntyre was another Park Avenue bartender who had decided not to bother opening up his club.
gItfs been brutal dead, man,h he said, asking not to be named.
gMany bars decided to not open,h McIntyre said. gItfs the same story everywhere - therefs nobody there.h
The lack of the usual crowd of Americans at popular districts near other U.S. bases also was marked. The parking lots in gAmerican Village,h a collection of restaurants, bars, clothing shops and other businesses in Chatan, near camps Foster and Lester, had no cars with the distinguishing gYh license plates assigned to American owners.
gWe hope the restriction will be lifted as soon as possible,h said Naoki Tsukayama, manager of Kitaya, a restaurant near Camp Fosterfs Globe and Anchor. gWe cannot do any business - at all. We closed Friday, and opened Saturday, but closed again Sunday. Today, we are open only because we have a dinner reservation. If not, we would have closed today, too.
gI wonder how the American people are feeling about this,h he said. gI feel sorry for them because many good people are being punished because of the wrongs by a few people.h
A Marine spokesman said the indefinite gperiod of reflection,h ordered by Marine Lt. Gen. Richard C. Zilmer as the senior ranking officer on Okinawa, would be reassessed March 3.
Until then, spokesman Master Sgt. Charles Albrecht said, gtherefs been no change. All off-base activity is prohibited.h
Albrecht said people with emergency needs - such as being able to pick up children at off-base day care or at private schools - can apply for exemptions.
He added that there were no gcheckersh ensuring the restriction is being followed off-base.
An assistant manager of a Starbucks, across Highway 58 from the main gate to Camp Lester in Chatan, said otherwise.
gA Japanese man working for military police came in this morning asking us to let them know if Americans visit our shop,h said Taeko Yonamine.
But therefs been no American coffee drinkers at the shop since the restriction went into effect, she said.
Albrecht said there have been no reports of restriction violations.
Elsewhere, several Americans reported Japanese police were stopping Americans at random and demanding to know what they were doing off-base.
Okinawa police denied making any such stops
gPolice will not stop people for questioning only because they are non-Japanese looking,h said a spokesman for Okinawa prefectural police in Okinawa City.
Some news from Okinawa to add context
As I seem to be talking a lot about this alleged rape and its consequences, I thought it would be best to add some context, by showing you what is making the Okinawan news headlines this morning.
Okinawans arrested on rape, molestation charges
Date Posted: 2008-02-26
A 13-year-old junior high school girl is the latest rape victim, and Okinawa Prefecture Police have arrested the suspect.
The accused, Yoshitaka Oshiro, has confessed, and was arrested on suspicion of rape under provisions of the youth protection measures. Oshiro told police investigators gI knew she was 13 years oldh. Police say Oshiro admitted taking the girl to an Okinawa City hotel Friday night at 10:40 p.m., and staying with her until 12:30 a.m.
Oshiro, who told police he met the girl through a cell phone meeting site last October, gand since then I have been keeping contact with the girl.h Police say he admitted to committing immoral acts in the hotel room.
Ginowan City Police, meanwhile, have arrested a 74-year-old man on charges he molested a young girl Saturday. Police say the man spotted the girl near his house, and convinced the girl to come inside by telling her gI can give you some pocket money if you come with me to my house.h
That incident occurred about 10:45 a.m. Saturday, according to police, who say they received the report after the girl escaped after being touched. The parents immediately called police, who went to the house. gYes, I did touch the girlfs body,h the man confessed to police. He is now in jail.
Source: Japan Update
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PTA finds Chatan Town has problems not caused by Americans
Date Posted: 2008-02-26
A weekend research gathering by 20 members of the Chatan Town PTA turned up information about their youngsters that shocked them.
Allegations against an American Marine accused in the rape of a 14-year-old schoolgirl earlier this month in Chatan Town set the PTA Union into action to survey what was happening in their community. PTA Union Chairman Yasuo Nakachi led the group, comprised of advisory council committee members from the townfs elementary and junior high school, on a Saturday and Sunday visit to dozens of locations frequented by youngsters.
Visits to game centers, the business zone and popular restaurants prompted questions like gAre there a lot of Americans visiting here?h gDo Americans come to your shop?h and gAre there any junior high school kids around here?h The answers were eyesf to kids frequently the areas, and fewer about Americans. More worrisome to the survey teams was discovery that gthere were many kids smoking in this area, and there were places with blind corners around parks and schools.h
Other on the team reported gschools and even public toilets had many cigarette butts, and walls were scrawled with various phrases.h The members also heard reports that many parents actually bring their young children to the dark areas late at night, leading them to the conclusion Americans are not the only ones with problems, but Okinawan families as well.
gParents and children should talk more, and parents should be protecting their children,h Nakachi says. gParents should not let children go out late at night.h A team member added gwe need to patrol daily, and take much more time to check dangerous places, make safety maps for children, and then give them to families. Everyone needs to have the map to protect the children.h
Source: Japan Update
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