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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 May 2025
This is the second of a three part comprehensive survey of the US-Japan relationship defined by the Ampo Treaty of 1960, and refined subsequently in ways that have deepened Japanese and Okinawan subordination to American global power and ambitions. The article focuses on questions pertaining to the legacy of Article Nine of the Constitution, and to Okinawa and base relations as a template for exploring the troubled Ampo relationship, including the powerful and sustained Okinawan resistance to US base expansion.
1 See Maeda Tetsuo, ‘Juzoku’ kara ‘Jiritsu’ e – Nichibei ampo o kaeru, Kobunken, 2009, pp. 90-92.
2 Shimokobe Jun, then Vice-Minister at the National Lands Agency, quoted in Sato Manabu, “Obama seiken no Amerika,” op.cit, p. 90.
3 Ota Masahide, “Futenma mondai no botan no kakechigai wa koko kara hajimatta,” Videonews, 11 March 2010.
4 Client State, p. 167.
5 Client State, chapter 4, passim.
6 Richard L. Armitage and Joseph S. Nye, “The U.S.-Japan Alliance: Getting Asia right through 2020,” Washington, CSIS, February 2007.
7 On the Gates visit: Fumitaka Susami, “Gates backs permanent law to send SDF,” Japan Times, 11 November 2007. See also Kaho Shimizu, “Greater security role is in Japan's interest: Gates,” Japan Times, 10 November 2007.
8 Yoichi Kato, “Interview/ Richard Lawless: Japan-U.S. alliance faces ‘priority gap’,” Asahi shimbun, 2 May 2008.
9 “Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the United States of America concerning the Implementation of the Relocation of 111 Marine Expeditionary Force Personnel and their Dependents from Okinawa to Guam,” Tokyo, 17 February 2009.
10 “Futenma wa kengai isetsu” (Futenma to be moved outside of Okinawa), See the Democratic Party's “Okinawa Vision 2008.” However, in the 2009, pre-election version, the pledge was qualified to “move in the direction of re-examining the realignment of U.S. military forces in Japan.”
11 “The Battle of Okinawa 2009: Obama vs Hatoyama,” The Asia-Pacific Journal, 16 November 2009.
12 Kurt Campbell and Michael Green, “Ozawa's bravado may damage Japan for years,” Asahi shimbun, 29 August 2007.
13 Maeda Tetsuo, ‘Juzoku’ kara ‘jiritsu’ e – Nichibei Ampo o kaeru, Kobunken, 2009, pp. 15-18.
14 Hatoyama Yukio, “My political philosophy,” Voice, September 2009 (13 August 2009), and in English in Financial Times here.
15 “Policy speech by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama at the 174th Session of the Diet,” 29 January 2010.
16 John Pomfret and Blaine Harden, “US pressures Japan on military package,” Washington Post, 22 October 2009.
17 “Futenma isetsu dekineba Nichibei kankei ni dageki, Bei kokan ga keikoku,” Asahi shimbun, 18 October 2009.
18 Yoichi Kato, “U.S. warm to proposal to reaffirm security pact,” Asahi shimbun, 23 July 2009.
19 Quoted in Mure Dickie and Daniel Dombey, “Prospect of power softens DPJ's stance,” Financial Times, 21 July 2009.
20 “Bei kokan ‘minaosanu’ tsugitsugi,” Ryukyu shimpo, 3 September 2009
21 Hiroshi Ito, “U.S. on Futenma revisit: Forget it,” Asahi shimbun, 2 September 2009.
22 “‘Kokka-kan no goi’ kyocho,” Okinawa Times, 4 September 2009.
23 “Joint Press Conference with Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates,” Tokyo, 21 October 2009, Department of Defense, News Transcript.
24 John Pomfret and Blaine Harden, “U.S. pressures Japan on military package,” Washington Post, 22 October 2009.
25 “Joint Chiefs chairman: Futenma must move to Nago,” Yomiuri shimbun, 24 October 2009.
26 Michael Green, “Tokyo smackdown,” The New Foreign Policy.com, 23 October 2009
27 Asahi shimbun, 28 August 2009 (quoted in Miyazato Seigen, “Okinawa kenmin no ishi wa meikaku de aru,” Sekai, 1/2009: 157-163).
28 Michael J. Green, “Japan's Confused Revolution,” The Washington Quarterly, 33, 1, (Online, 2 December 2009) pp. 3-19, at p. 12.
29 “Futenma de Nihon seifu no boso ken en Bei kokumucho,” Tokyo shimbun, 4 November 2009.
30 Richard Armitage, “Armitage on Henoko-Futenma – America needs a Plan B,” CSIS Pac Forum, Washington, 15 January 2010, Youtube,
31 See “the Battle of Okinawa, 2009”, op.cit.
32 The Guardian, 10 August 2009.
33 “Japan urges U.S. to respect ‘democracy’ over base,” AFP, 22 October 2009.
34 “Futenma nao meiso, Bei makikaeshi de kyuchi,” Ryukyu shimpo, 6 December 2009.
35 Quoted in “Kiki aoru dake de wa nasakenai,” editorial, Ryukyu shimpo, 7 December 2009. For a fascinating transcript of the meeting, see Medoruma Shun's blog, “Uminari no hitobito,” “Okada gaisho to ‘shimin to no daiwa shukai’, zenmen kokai,” in 7 parts, beginning here.
36 “Pentagon prods Japan on Futenma deadline,” Japan Times, 8 January 2010.
37 Ibid.
38 Joseph S. Nye Jr, “An Alliance larger than One Issue,” New York Times, 6 January 2010. (After Nye's issue of a public call for US restraint, cautioning of the consequences of a “pyrrhic victory” over Henoko, overt intimidation diminished, but the underlying message was unchanged: Henoko the “best solution.” (“Futenma isetsu Bei seifu no shisei imashime Nai shi ga Bei shi kiko,” Ryukyu shinpo, 9 January 2009.)
39 “Remarks with Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada After Their Meeting,” Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, Marriott Ihilani Resort, Honolulu, Hawaii, January 12, 2010, US State Dept.
40 Yoichi Kato, “U.S. official: Japan could lose entire Marine presence if Henoko plan scrapped,” Asahi shimbun, 4 March 2010.
41 “Updating the US-Japan Alliance,” 2 April 2010.
42 Even the “liberal” Asahi editorially scolded the Hatoyama government, saying “There is a limit to Washington's impatience … It would be very unfortunate for both countries if the Futenma issue became blown out of proportion.” (“Relocating Futenma Base,” Asahi shimbun, 23 October 2009.)
43 “Okada gaisho hatsugen – boso suru Hatoyama seiken no genkai, Ampo no Okinawa izon kara dakkyaku o,” Ryukyu shimpo, 25 October 2009.
44 “Gorubachofu shi honshi ni kaito, teigen, Futenma isetsu,” Ryukyu shimpo, 21 December 2009
45 Surveys by Yomiuri shimbun, Okinawa Times and Asahi shimbun, and Ryukyu shimpo and Okinawa TV, published 19 January 2010, found: 73, 65, and 69 per cent respectively wanting the Futenma base relocated outside Okinawa. See Urashima Etsuko and Gavan McCormack, “Electing a town mayor in Okinawa,” The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus, 21 January 2010.
46 “‘Hirano chokan hatsugen’ kenmin ni kokoro moteasobuna,” editorial, Okinawa Times, 28 January 2010.
47 “Hirano chokan hatsugen,” ibid.
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