Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

Joined demonstration march in Shibuya, most crowded shopping and entertaining district in Tokyo.

Estimated around 400 people participated. 12 ospreys were deployed in Okinawa, Southernmost island of Japan. Osprey is a hyprid helicoptor that cause strong noize and probability of accident is higher than conventional helicoptors. Propellers work as helicoptor on pad but when it goes high, the mode is changed to airplane that enables it fly further. 

But this mode change action can cause severe accident including crashes onto the ground without control.

It is said that US military deployed Ospreys in Okinawa because they were not allowed to maneuver flying in their homeland because of safety problems, that aggrevated Okinawans and Japanese nationals. US-Japan treaty is one between independent sovereign nations.

As other issues such as Nuclear aircraft carrier (CVN 73) in Yokosuka, safety may not be prioritized issue. Highest prioritized issue is why we have to carry burden of US military which does not actually defend us. Threat from China? China is no longer enemy for the U.S. China has become even more important economic ally than Japan for the U.S. Even US influential congressman said military stationed in Okinawa is nothing but ruin of the Cold War.

Recently even after deployment of the new helicoptors, Chinese ships has invaded Japanese sea near Okinawa very frequently. If deterrence works, why do Chinese do that?

We really wonder why US military is stationed in our country.

We should stop treating America as friendly nation although it is not our enemy.

Tomodachi means "friend(s)" in Japanese. The U.S. military in Japan is undergoing "Operation Tomodach" after the earthquake of magnitude 9.0, tsunami and nuclear power plant explosion occurred in our country.

Yes, the U.S. has been our greatest and closest friend, especially in a turmoil caused by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant disaster.

The U.S. government and military helped us a lot by sending air craft carrier, Ronald Reagan to the disastor area coast to transport commodities and equipments in order to rescue refugees in the disaster areas. The U.S. goverment provided expertise and machines to crippled nuclear power plants.

We do appreciate that. But the U.S. is not only country that provides assistance to us. China, Russia, France, Israel and a lot of other nations do so. We do appreciate those nations as well.

I do know for the U.S. Japan is not just a friend, rather very important ally in terms of politics and economics. Japan is 2nd largest owner of U.S. treasury bonds next to China. Japan is one of the biggest trading partner for the U.S.

As for crippled nuclear plants, the U.S. should be very much concerned about this issue because the U.S. is heavily dependent on nuclear power generation having more than 100 plants in the nation. In fact crippled nuclear plants in Fukushima-Daiichi contains U.S. made reactors, designed by General Electronics. The same type of reactors are used in 23 plants in the U.S.

Like the U.S. France is very concerned as CEO of France's biggest nuclear power plant corporation came to Japan to fix the problem. France is much more heavily dependent on nuclear power generation, 80% of its electriciy comes from nuclear power, while 20% in the U.S. and 35% in Japan.

Just recently the U.S. and Japanese government agreed to relocate U.S. Marine in Okinawa. The plan is relocate around 8000 marines to Guam and newly building base inside Okinawa island. That plan has been disapproved by local Okinawans. Even the Okinawa governor demanded the change of plan.

But the both governments seem to go ahead despite the protest movement there because the "Operation Tomodachi" can ease the tension there. But it seems not.

We feel the U.S. is taking advantage of this turmoil to get what they want. In our country such act is called "stealing things from burning house." Later you will be demised.

Don't do that, please if you want to continue to be good friend to us.

Under this plan, Japanese government not only provides the area for the new base but the budget to build the new base. This is huge money.

You know we are now in a big crisis. We need so much money to rebuild the disaster areas and fix and safely abandon nuclear plants. How come you can receive such benefits from troubled nation?

In Yokosuka, USS George Washington evacuated from Yokosuka, home port for the ship right after the earthquake and nuclear power plant explosion happened. Now he returned.

Funny, that ship was deployed for the purpose of defending Japan. This time he did not. Ironically, the nuclear powered ship which contains so much of radioactive materials got away from radioactive.

After he returned, they say the ship is safe. But localies in Yokosuka cannot agree. People have been so concerned about radioactive since its home porting in 2008. Now we've got one from our own.

My advice as your Tomodachi is to rethink the whole package of US-Japan defense treaty and its operation.

We do appreciate great friendship so in order to stregthen such friendship why not just rethink about this issue?  

Especially after the earthquake disastor, our nation's financial and mental situation has greatly changed. We do not want to suffer any more.

So be nice TOMODACHI!  

This week, US Navy's nuclear aircraft carrier, NIMITZ (CVN-68) was anchored in Yokosuka base. The purpose of the visit was to get supply from the base. Since last year USS George Washington (CVN-73) has been home ported there. The ship will come back on 1st of September. Both ships are in fact unwelcome by local citizens. So just as usual they marched on the street including near the U.S. Navy Base. The photo was taken near the base on 23 of August.

Not just nuclear aircraft carriers, the U.S. military brings criminals to threaten our peaceful society. Recently, the secret agreement was disclosed that Japanese D.A. would avoid indicte the crimes commited by U.S. military personnels even though the case happens not in the troop's work hour. In fact, cases of non-indictement has been higher than those commited by Japanese nationals. 

 

Soon new goverment will be set up. The new ruling party DPJ stated they would propose the amendment of US-Japan Status of Force Agreement and other related matters. They are planning to reduce the US military presence in Japan. It is what Japanese people has been demanding for a long time. The old ruling party were not so smart as to handle such normal demands.  

 

We don't like America any more. The sales of Hollywood film is declining recently. U.S. beef is known to be most toxic food, so no decent restaurant wants to serve it. The U.S. caused the world depression thanks to Lehman or other financial institutions. We know a lot of Americans are suffering corrupt system. The new ruling party says they will shift focus of diplomacy from the U.S. to neighboring Asian nations. That is good. The U.S. is no longer our role model, not so important like in the old days. Not a good friend any more. Even we get huge profit by trading with the U.S. what we get is depreciating U.S. dollar bills. The new prime minister is considering new common currency among Asian nations.  

 

On the day of demonstration, I visited exhibited old imperial navy's flag ship, Mikasa.

I saluted at the statue of Admiral Togo Heihachiro who led the ship along with the fleet that knocked down Russian fleet on the Sea of Japan in 1905, that resulted in a victory over Russia so that Japan could block Russian invasion in Manchuria and Korean penninsular. Last year when I first visited the ship, I met the ghosts of sailors and the admiral of the ship, I remember they said they wanted to remove foreign base occupying their place where they used to belong.

 

Yes, Yokosuka was in fact the old imperial navy's base. Now only half part of the base is used by Japanese self-defense navy.

It is time we get back our land.

 

I heard the news this week Nimitz crews painted the memorial ship as volunteer and the ship exhibition and preservation association held the reception to commemorate late Admiral Nimitz who helped recover the ship in 1960's after no one took care of the ship since Japan's defeat of the war. CVN-68 was named after Admiral Nimitz who admired the Admiral Togo.

 

Well, we have to appreciate him as for this matter. After the devastation of the war and demilitarization, Japanese totally forgot about the ship and lost respect to their own military, American military remembered the ship. Maybe because that was the ship that knocked down the cold war enemy country's fleet.

 

But it is time Japan controls its own defense not relying on foreign power. In fact, we are ready. Japan's naval force is second largest in the world. Soon Japan will build its own aircraft carrier. Actually it already has one, but only for helicopters. See the photo.

Japan's brand new helicopter carrier, Hyuga lined with Nimitz. Front is Hyuga.  

Hyuga is half length of Nimitz. We do not need nuclear powered one but we will have to build longer one so that airfighters can be stored and take off or land on.

Only obstacle is pacifist consitituition that restricts scope of military actions. I think it would not take so much time to amend it. More and more people are realizing they should.