The U.S. and Japan have come to an agreement to move approximately 9,000 Marines off of Okinawa and to other bases in the Western Pacific. This aims to reduce tensions between the two allies by removing the noisy and crowded U.S. air base in Okinawa that has angered local residents for years. While the base is important for deterring China, its urban location has caused conflicts, so the agreement will relocate the Marines to improve the U.S.-Japan relationship.

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conservativebyte.com http://conservativebyte.com/2012/04/u-s-comes-to-agreement-
with-japan-to-move-9000-marines-off-okinawa/
U.S. comes to agreement with Japan to move
9,000 Marines off Okinawa
The U.S. and Japanese governments said Thursday
that they will move about 9,000 Marines off Okinawa to
other bases in the Western Pacific, in a bid to remove
a persistent irritant in the relationship between the two
allies.
The Futenma air base on Okinawa has been seen by
both sides as essential to deterrring Chinese military
aggression in the region. But the noisy air base’s
location in a crowded urban area has long angered
Okinawa residents, and some viewed the Marines as rowdy and potentially violent.
http://conservativebyte.com/2012/04/u-s-comes-to-agreement-with-japan-to-move-9000-ma... 6/6/2012