Text Fwd: A new class-action by Okinawans over noises from US jetfighters

* Text fwd from M. S. Japan, also forwarded by Corzon Valdez Fabros on Jan. 25, 2011


Friends,

Okinawans have stood up in anger, again. 22,000 Okinawans have filed a new ( the third time) collective lawsuit against Japanese central government, requesting tens of billion yen in compensation, over the unbearable noise arising from the U.S.Kadena Air Base.

The current situation at the base is unusual: such a big temporary buildup of US jet-fighters.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20110122-00000007-ryu-oki

More than 30 USAF jet-fighers, including F-16 fighters from Alaska and F-22 fighters
have arrived for USAF military trainings at the US Kadena AFB, staying there till mid-Febrary.
They are planned to stage mid-air war drills with F-15 fighters based at Kadena AFB.

In the similar drill last year, the highest, 108 decibel noise, was recorded.
This year, those fighters began its full-scale training around Monday, but already since 18th,
150 times of noises over 70 decibel were recorded everyday, and especially on 20th,
such noise was recorded 180 times. Last year, the average number of noises over 70
decibel per day was 113 times.

The situation is the same in Futenma. Oct. 5th last year, the record of 123.6 decibel
noise was marked when F-15s based at Kadena AFB came to Futenma.

It is said the noise of 120 decibel is similar to that heard when you are near the engine
of an moving airplane--the limitation of human hearing sense.

Such US fighters conducted last year, regardless of the request by the Mayor of Ginowan,
' low-approach flight training' withouth landing, making all-the more unbearable noises to those living around.

Japan's Defense Ministry has done nothing to the request by locals, also in this year.
The new class-action may have been the reason why R.Gates was softened
as to the Futenma relocation issue when he came to Japan last week.

The first, and the second lawsuits were won by Okinawans, but our government has done nothing as well.

Instead, they are now just discussing moving some such drills of F-15s based at Kadena AFB
to Guam, with the relocation cost paid by Japanese tax payers, along with relocations of the US Marines' military drills to the mainland of Japan also paid by Japanese.

Text Fwd: Gates, ministers agree on deepening alliance

* Text from Corazon Valdez Fabros on Jan. 14, 2011

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Gates, ministers agree on deepening alliance
Jan. 14, 2011


Prime Minister Naoto Kan and other Japanese leaders agreed Thursday with visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates that the two countries will work together to deepen their alliance.

Gates met separately with Kan, Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara in the morning.

Given the increasingly uncertain situation on the Korean Peninsula as a result of North Korea's nuclear development program and its shelling of a South Korean island, they also reaffirmed the significance of U.S. forces' presence in the Asia-Pacific region and of defense cooperation between Japan, South Korea and the United States.

In addition, they agreed to work to strengthen the bilateral alliance by the time Kan is scheduled to visit the United States in spring.

"We'd like to make progress toward deepening the Japan-U.S. alliance," Kan told Gates at the start of their meeting at the Prime Minister's Office.

In response, Gates said he was looking forward to discussing what must be done to further solidify the two countries' ties.

In the meetings between Gates and the Japanese ministers, the two countries confirmed their policy of promoting the Japan-U.S. agreement in May over the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture.

However, when it came to reducing the burden on Okinawa Prefecture of hosting U.S. military facilities, Gates stopped short of making any pledges.

When Maehara sought U.S. cooperation in resolving the issue, Gates replied that the matter was closely linked with the relocation of Futenma and that steps would be taken in line with progress on that point, according to government officials.

As a specific measure to reduce the burden on Okinawa, Kitazawa asked Gates to promote negotiations on a plan to move some training functions of F-15 fighters stationed at Kadena Air Base in the prefecture to the U.S. territory of Guam, the officials said.

After their meeting, Kitazawa and Gates held a joint press conference at the Defense Ministry, in which Gates indicated the United States would observe the development of negotiations between the central government and the Okinawa prefectural government.

They said the two countries had agreed on the importance of enhancing cooperation between Japan, South Korea and the United States in dealing with North Korea.

Gates sought cooperation from Japan on the provision to third countries of the Standard Missile-3 Block 2A, a next-generation sea-based missile interceptor jointly developed by Japan and the United States.

"It makes economic sense to make it available to others," Gates said.

Kitazawa said the government hopes to make a decision by the end of the year.

Text Fwd: [famoksaiyanfriends] Cost of An Empire: Five Expensive, Controversial US Military Bases (not in Iraq or Afghanistan)

* Text informed from Martha Duenas on Oct. 5, 2010

Oct 04, 2010 - 10:53 AM | by GlobalPost

U.S. servicemen sit inside a C-17 Globemaster waiting to take off for Afghanistan at Manas Air Base near Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek, February 13, 2009. Photo by Reuters

By Patrick Winn

BANGKOK, Thailand—If you spin a globe and randomly point to a country, there’s a one-in-five chance the U.S. military runs a piece of the nation underneath your finger.

The U.S. Defense Department has real estate in 46 countries and American territories, adding up to a whopping 837 overseas locations. It manages roughly 1,300 square miles, a combined area considerably larger than Rhode Island. Throw in bases within the territories and 50 states and you’ve got Ohio.

Beyond massive complexes in Germany, Japan, and South Korea, there are little-known holdings scattered around the planet: an old Dutch mine, a communications tower on Australia’s west coast, and an army sniper range in Djibouti.

How much does overseeing this sprawling foreign footprint really cost? The exact cost of managing troops, bases, fleets, and materiel overseas is difficult to determine. The think tank Foreign Policy in Focus estimates at least $250 billion.

But that doesn’t factor in the political price. Though protected by American might, even Japan and the Philippines have questioned U.S. troops’ presence there as a slight to their sovereignty. Lesser allies like Ecuador and Uzbekistan have even evicted U.S. bases in recent years.

Here’s a look at five U.S. military bases that have proven costly and controversial.

Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia
Location: Extremely remote island in the Indian Ocean
Real Estate: 595 buildings on 7,000 acres.
Value: $2.6 billion (Represents U.S. military’s estimated cost of replacing facilities in today’s economy. Does not include deployed aircraft, vehicles or ships.)

How is it useful?

Diego Garcia is an American military strategist’s dream. Located in an abyss of ocean 1,200 miles south of India, it’s close enough to the Middle East to launch B-2 bombing runs into Afghanistan. It’s also within flying distance to Africa and near enough to Asia to intimidate China. But its distant location ensures against the threat of counter-attack and offers a safe haven for refueling aircraft carriers and bombers. There’s little threat of being kicked out, as the barely inhabited island is owned by the United Kingdom.

Why is it criticized?

The U.S. and U.K. governments have used almost all of the tiny island for military facilities. This involved clearing out the 1,000-plus native inhabitants, who claim they were rounded up, shipped to British island territories and dumped possessionless into slums. Their appeals are tangled up in Britain’s legal system. Diego Garcia is also alleged to house secret CIA prisons for American enemies, though the island’s remoteness makes that claim extremely difficult to investigate.

Incirlik Air Base
Location: Southern Turkey
Real Estate: 675 buildings on 3,300 acres
Value: $1.7 billion

How is it useful?

More than any base outside Afghanistan and Iraq, this Mediterranean air field has proven indispensable in fighting America’s 21st century wars. First established in the aftermath of World War II, Incirlik saw little action before the September 11 attacks. It has since become a core launching pad for U.S. refueling missions and troop movements into neighboring Iraq. The base also hosts dozens of nuclear bombs, potentially deterring Iran from any future nuclear strike.

Why is it criticized?

The base’s nukes are a sore point not just for Iran but for Russia, which also lies within striking range. The Cold War-era gravity bombs, more primitive than modern cruise missile warheads, are not believed to be immediately deployable. But they continue to rankle Russia and impede negotiations to nuclear proliferation. The base has occasionally soured U.S.-Turkish relations as well. In 2003, Turkey’s leaders resisted U.S. pressure to launch direct strikes into Iraq from Incirlik. Some Middle Eastern nations also resent a majority Muslim nation’s pivotal role in the American-led war.

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay
Location: Cuba
Real Estate: 1,400 buildings on 28,800 acres
Value: $2.6 billion

Why is it useful?

Acquired through the Spanish-American War, this base is a refueling stop, a logistics hub for Caribbean anti-narco missions, and a launchpad for “migrant ops,” which involves picking up islanders on creaky U.S.-bound vessels. However, the outpost is most valuable as a maximum security prison for “war criminals” and other detainees. Its various detention areas—some open-air, some air-conditioned—can hold more than 1,200 prisoners, notably major Al Qaeda figureheads.

How is it criticized?

Guantanamo’s critics have turned its name into a byword for American human rights abuse, an image the base has confronted with its latest slogan: “Safe, Humane, Legal, Transparent.” The Red Cross claims that U.S. personnel’s treatment of inmates there—allegedly including beatings and loud music exposure—is “tantamount to torture.” President Barack Obama has suggested moving prisoners to a high-security facility in Illinois and a former adviser to Sen. Ted Kennedy proposes transforming the camp into a relief center for Haitians affected by the recent earthquake.

Transit Center at Manas
Location: Near Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek
Real Estate: An estimated 37 acres of land and 200-plus facilities, all leased
Value: $63 million annual rent

Why is it useful?

U.S. troops pouring in or out of Afghanistan are likely to pass through this busy hub, which is a quick flight away from the war zone. Built amidst the run-up to the Afghanistan conflict, the base is an expansion of the Kyrgyzstan capital’s once-sleepy international airport. Unlike in other nations, the Kyrgyz government permits the U.S. to launch bombers, fighter jets and gunships from its soil.

How is it criticized?

The Transit Center’s clunky name—re-branded last year from the more militant-sounding Manas Air Base—is a reflection of its political sensitivity. A former soviet state, Kyrgyzstan has faced extreme pressure from Russia to rid itself of an American base. This imposition was sweetened by a recent $2 billion Russian loan. Kyrgyz leaders parlayed this bickering between foreign powers into cash when the U.S. agreed last year to quadruple the base’s rent to $63 million. Still, a violent April coup in the nearby capital may have realigned the country’s leadership in favor of Russia. Aggravating anti-U.S. sentiment is a U.S. airman’s 2006 fatal shooting of a Kyrgyz civilian and a female officer’s bizarre and poorly substantiated account of being kidnapping by locals.

Kadena Air Base
Location: Okinawa, a southern Japanese island
Real Estate: 1,850 buildings on nearly 11,000 acres
Value: $6.4 billion

Why is it useful?

Occupied after brutal fighting in World War II, Okinawa is the heart of the U.S. military’s power in Asia. The island hosts most of the 47,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan. Kadena, the Pacific’s largest American military complex, is home to an aerial attack, special forces, and intelligence gathering squadrons. If conflict erupted in Taiwan or the Koreas, and the U.S. decided to strike, the base would play a crucial role in carrying out those missions.

How is it criticized?

Under a long-standing, post-war agreement, Japan actually pays the U.S. about $2 billion each year to host American forces. Many Japanese are weary of paying this bill and crowds flock to rallies in favor of the military’s ouster. The U.S. has agreed to relocate 8,000 troops to Guam, a Pacific island and U.S. territory. But even that reduction will be paid for by $6 billion in Japanese funds. Their anger is compounded by several high-profile rape charges, including a marine’s 2008 conviction for “abusive sexual conduct” perpetrated against a 14-year-old girl.

Text Fwd: [famoksaiyanfriends] Islanders Prepare for Second Battle of Okinawa 섬주민들, 오키나와의 두번째 전투를 준비하다

Image & source:same as the link

'The U.S. Marines' Camp Schwab, which dominates the coral reef headland in Nago on the Japanese island of Okinawa'

* Text from Martha Duenas on Sept. 26, 2010

The Independent
Islanders Prepare for Second Battle of Okinawa

American bases seized from Japan in 1945 have been a cause of bitterness since the Second World War. David McNeill meets the locals and the US Marines they want out.
Thursday, 10 July 2010

There can be few prettier prime ministerial graveyards: waves from a coral-rich, emerald-green sea lick the sandy shore of a pristine white beach.

A sleepy fishing village pokes through the humming tropical green in the background. Dolphins and the endangered dugong sea cow swim in the local waters. Only a razor-wire fence and signs warning of the threat of arrest by US troops hint at the smell of political cordite.

For over a decade, Henoko beach on Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa has been the site of a battle that has pitted pensioners against government surveyors, corroded relations between Tokyo and Washington and arguably claimed the scalp of Japan's last Prime Minister, Yukio Hatoyama. Locals warn that his successor, Naoto Kan, will follow him to the political gallows if he makes good on a promise to build a US Marine heliport on this picture-postcard beach.

"I think 100,000 people or more will come to stop it," predicts Michio Sakima, who curates a local museum dedicated to remembering the 1945 Battle of Okinawa. "He'll have to send in the army and the riot police and there would be war. There's no way that's going to happen."

Okinawa Prefecture, occupying just 0.6 per cent of Japan's territory, is home to one of the planet's largest concentrations of US military bases.

The Americans invaded in 1945, mounting an attack that left 223,000 Japanese soldiers and civilians dead – roughly a quarter of the local population – and 50,000 US troops killed or injured. In 1972, the islands reverted to Japanese rule but most of the bases stayed. Today they occupy nearly a fifth of the main island and include Kadena, the biggest and most active US Air Force facility in East Asia and Futenma, which occupies the centre of Ginowan city. Many of the soldiers train for combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. Local people like Mr. Sakima call these bases war spoils and want them returned. "It makes me very angry when I think what we could do with all that land," he says from the roof of the museum, which overlooks Futenma. His voice is occasionally drowned out by the drone of the giant transport planes that fly in and out of the base.

As he admits, however, while "most" Okinawans are against the US presence, many are financially tied to it. The bases reportedly employ over 8,000 local people and the central Tokyo government has pumped an estimated 200-340 billion yen a year for the last three decades mostly into island construction projects in an attempt to smooth the friction that comes with living beside over 20,000 often battle-scared young soldiers. In 1995 that friction climaxed with the gang rape of a 12-year-old girl that sparked the largest protests in the prefecture's history.

After years of promises to scale down the military presence, the protests finally extracted a promise from Tokyo and Washington to close Futenma. But the plan eventually hatched by the two sides – largely shutting out Okinawa – simply shifted the functions of the aging facility to the coast off Camp Schwab base near Henoko in the sleepier northern half of the main island. In 2006, the deal was inked: a giant seaport, with an 1800-meter runway, would be built off Okinawa's pristine coastline – all paid for with Japanese taxes.

For many Okinawans, the deal compounded an epic sense of unfairness. The prefecture, which wasn't even historically part of the nation until 1872, hosts 75 per cent of all US military facilities in the country. That arrangement on an island hundreds of miles from the mainland means that about 99 per cent of Japanese never need to face the consequences of the country's half-century military alliance with Washington, or its central conundrum – a war-renouncing nation sheltering under the world's largest nuclear umbrella.

Tackling that contradiction would mean debating much of Japan's postwar defence architecture, including its 1947 "pacifist" constitution, a huge can of worms that few politicians have ever shown the stomach for – on the issue of cost alone, one estimate is that Japan's five thousand billion yen defence budget would need to increase by 10 per cent annually for a decade. It would also mean confronting Washington over its claims that the bases are needed to defend Japan, claims that many on Okinawa reject.

"We were told that the bases were protecting us, but few here believe that now," says Mao Ishikawa, an Okinawa-based photographer. "Soviet Russia is gone, we're friendlier with China and North Korea is a powerless country. Everybody knows the bases are for America's convenience. The soldiers train here for war in Iraq and Afghanistan – that has nothing to do with us."

Last September, the prefecture thought they finally had a leader in Tokyo who might recalibrate the military scales when Yukio Hatoyama was elected Prime Minister, ending over half a century of rule by Washington's staunch Cold War allies the Liberal Democrats. Before taking office, Mr. Hatoyama had openly called for the US bases to be ejected from Japan. He promised to reject the 2006 deal and shift Futenma out of the prefecture.

Instead, under pressure from President Barack Obama himself, he embarked on a long tortured journey back to square one. When he finally told Okinawa in May that the 2006 deal would stand after all, they were furious, recalls Doug Lummis, a former US marine and now political scientist who lives on the island. "He had got their hopes up," he says, pointing out that last April the islanders staged an even bigger protest than they did after the 1995 gang rape. "Hatoyama should have learned from Machiavelli: 'If you're going to do something very unpopular you ought to do it straight away.'"

Hatoyama's bungling on Futenma lost him his government's coalition partner and a huge store of political credibility. He resigned in June, leaving Futenma in the hands of his wilier successor Naoto Kan. "This is only the second time in postwar Japan that a popular grassroots movement has brought down a government," says Lummis, alluding to the fierce protests over the 1960 US-Japan Security Treaty that precipitated the resignation of Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi. "Something has changed here."

Kan – who, as a citizen's activist, once protested against the American bases himself – inherits this hornet's nest but has been careful so far not to stir it up. Last month he visited the island to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa, apologising "as a representative of all Japanese people" and promising to "ease the burden" of hosting the bases. Okinawa's contribution has helped secure the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region, he added. He faces an election this weekend that will show how badly damaged his Democratic Party has been by the Okinawa affair and determine if he can go ahead with the base. But nobody can see how his dilemma can be resolved. Voters in Nago, the nearest administrative city to Henoko, this year elected the virulently anti-base politician Susumu Inamine as mayor. Newspaper polls put opposition to the base as high as 80 – 90 per cent. But in a Henoko shop where the prices are in dollars and yen and young Jarheads from Camp Schwab shop for cigarettes and beer, owner Masayoshi Kyoda says the town needs the US money: "Emotionally, everyone is against the bases but the reality is a bit different."

Doctors blame the influx of Americans – and the roughly 100 fast-food outlets that cater to them on Okinawa – for bringing chips, burgers and fatty food to the local diet, which was historically rich in fish, soybeans, vegetables and pork. Okinawans have one of the longest life expectancies in the world at 86 for women and 78 for men, but younger's islanders are growing unhealthier under the US influence.

A marine from Kansas, who wishes to remain anonymous, says: "People here have been real nice – I don't want to go home," he laughs. "I've heard the protesters are here not because they don't want the Henoko base but because they don't want us here at all. But if the North Koreans came here they'd destroy this place. That's why we're needed."

On the beach nearby, a small group of mainly elderly activists and students stand guard over a permanent protest outpost, marking the time since their watch began: 2253 days.

"People here are furious that the Hatoyama government let them down," says Tomohiro Inafuku. "It seems whoever is in government the result is the same."

Text fwd: Joint statement of the US-Japan Security Consultative Committee

* Text Fwd from Makiko Sato on May 28, 2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/n-america/us/security/scc/joint1005.html

Joint Statement of the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee

May 28, 2010

by

Secretary of State Clinton
Secretary of Defense Gates

Minister for Foreign Affairs Okada
Minister of Defense Kitazawa

------------------------------

On May 28, 2010, the members of the United States-Japan Security Consultative Committee (SCC) reconfirmed that, in this 50th anniversary year of the signing of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, the U.S.-Japan Alliance remains indispensable not only to the defense of Japan, but also to the peace, security, and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.Recent developments in the security environment of Northeast Asia reaffirmed the significance of the Alliance. In this regard, the United States reiterated its unwavering commitment to Japan's security. Japan reconfirmed its commitment to playing a positive role in contributing to the peace and stability of the region. Furthermore, the SCC members recognized that a robust forward presence of U.S. military forces in Japan, including in Okinawa, provides the deterrence and capabilities necessary for the defense of Japan and for the maintenance of regional stability. The SCC members committed to promote and deepen security cooperation in wide-ranging areas to enable the Alliance to adapt to the evolving challenges of the 21st century.

The Ministers reaffirmed the commitment to reduce the impact on local communities, including in Okinawa, thereby preserving a sustainable U.S. military presence in Japan. In this context, the SCC members expressed their shared commitments to relocate Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Futenma and return the base to Japan as part of the Alliance transformation and realignment process.

The Ministers confirmed their commitment to implement steadily the realignment initiatives described in the May 1, 2006, SCC Document, "United States-Japan Roadmap for Realignment Implementation," as supplemented by this SCC Statement.

The Ministers reaffirmed that, as provided for in the Guam Agreement of February 17, 2009, the relocation of approximately 8,000 III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) personnel and their approximately 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam is dependent on tangible progress toward the completion of the replacement facility. The relocation to Guam will realize the consolidation and return of most of the facilities south of Kadena.

Bearing this in mind, the two sides intend to verify and validate that this Futenma relocation plan appropriately considers factors such as safety, operational requirements, noise impact, environmental concerns, and effects on the local community.

Both sides confirmed the intention to locate the replacement facility at the Camp Schwab Henoko-saki area and adjacent waters, with the runway portion(s) of the facility to be 1,800 meters long, inclusive of overruns, exclusive of seawalls.

In order to achieve the earliest possible return of MCAS Futenma, the Ministers decided that a study by experts regarding the replacement facility's location, configuration and construction method would be completed promptly (in any event no later than the end of August, 2010), and that the verification and validation would be completed by the time of the next SCC.

Both sides confirmed the intention to locate, configure, and construct the replacement facility in such a manner as to ensure that environmental impact assessment procedures and construction of the replacement facility can be completed without significant delay.

The Ministers recognized the importance of responding to the concerns of the people of Okinawa that they bear a disproportionate burden related to the presence of U.S. forces, and also recognized that the more equitable distribution of shared alliance responsibilities is essential for sustainable development of the Alliance. Based on the aforementioned recognition, the Ministers directed that, as progress is made toward the replacement facility, concrete measures should be taken expeditiously in the following areas:

Training Relocation

The two sides committed to expand the relocation of the U.S. forces activities, to include both bilateral and unilateral training, outside of Okinawa. In this regard, utilization of Tokunoshima will be considered, subject to development of appropriate facilities. Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) facilities and areas in mainland Japan may also be utilized. Both sides also committed to examine the relocation of training outside of Japan, such as to Guam.

Environment

In view of shared responsibilities on environmental stewardship, the Ministers instructed their staffs to discuss the potential for the United States and Japan to take a "Green Alliance" approach to our bases and the environment. U.S.-Japanese collaboration on a "Green Alliance" would consider ways to introduce renewable energy technology into U.S. bases in Japan and under development in Guam, including as a component of Host Nation Support. The Ministers instructed their staffs to consider promptly and seriously an agreement on the environment, including reasonable access to U.S. facilities and areas in cases of environmental incidents, and reasonable access to U.S. facilities and areas for environmental surveys prior to land returns.

Shared Use of Facilities

The two sides intend to study opportunities to expand the shared use of facilities between U.S. forces and the SDF, which would contribute to closer bilateral operational coordination, improved interoperability, and stronger relations with local communities.

Training Areas

The two sides decided on the partial lift of restrictions on the use of the "Hotel/Hotel training area" and committed to continue to consult on other measures.

Guam Relocation

The two sides confirmed that, in accordance with the Guam Agreement of February 17, 2009, the relocation of approximately 8,000 III MEF personnel and their approximately 9,000 dependents from Okinawa to Guam will be steadily implemented.The relocation to Guam is dependent on tangible progress made by the Government of Japan toward completion of the replacement facility. The U.S. side will examine the unit composition of III MEF personnel remaining on Okinawa in the context of overall theater security, including deterrence, while accounting for the concerns of local communities.

Facilitation of the Return of Facilities and Areas South of Kadena

The two sides confirmed that the return of facilities and areas south of Kadena will be steadily implemented in accordance with the Realignment Roadmap. In addition, the two sides decided that the "Industrial Corridor" of Camp Zukeran (Camp Foster) and a part of Makiminato Service Area (Camp Kinser) are priority areas for early return.

Noise Reduction at Kadena

The two sides affirmed their commitment to further noise reduction at Kadena through such measures as expansion of both bilateral and unilateral training outside of Okinawa, including improvements to the aviation training relocation program, and steady implementation of the Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO) Final Report.

Communication and Cooperation with Communities in Okinawa

The two sides affirmed their intention to intensify communication with communities in Okinawa on issues of concern related to the presence of U.S. forces. The two sides committed to explore cooperation in such areas as information technology initiatives, cultural exchanges, education programs and research partnerships.

As part of the effort to deepen security cooperation, the SCC members emphasized the importance of ensuring a shared understanding of the regional security environment and the role of the U.S.-Japan Alliance in advancing common strategic objectives. Toward this end, the SCC members committed to intensify the ongoing bilateral security dialogue. This security dialogue will address traditional security threats, as well as focus on new areas for cooperation.

Text Fwd: US Marines Test New Missile In Japan, Australia

StopNATO
U.S. Marines in Japan
June 12, 2009
Marine Attack squadron fires missile from Harrier
Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Cordero


-The AMRAAM [Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile] is an aerial launched, radar-guided missile capable of traveling at speeds multiple times that of the speed of sound. With the aid of the pilot, it tracks its target until reaching close proximity where it is then guided by its own active radar.
"(The firing of the missile) could be a stepping stone for Marine Corps aviation readiness."


KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa - Marines with Marine Attack Squadron 211, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, set the precedence in Marine Corps aviation advancement June 8, as the first fleet aircraft, forward deployed unit to fire the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile AIM-120B from an AV-8B Harrier.

The Yuma, Ariz. based unit is currently attached to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based out of Okinawa, Japan.

The AMRAAM is an aerial launched, radar-guided missile capable of traveling at speeds multiple times that of the speed of sound. With the aid of the pilot, it tracks its target until reaching close proximity where it is then guided by its own active radar.

"(The firing of the missile) could be a stepping stone for Marine Corps aviation readiness," said Master Sgt. Earnest Chaney, the ordnance division chief for VMA-211. "It shows the capabilities of the Harrier and the potential of the aircraft to deal with new weapons."

The AIM-120B AMRAAM was recently authorized for use by forward deployed units. Although it has been tested before, it is the first time to be used by a fleet aircraft forward deployed unit, according to Chaney.

The missile was launched at a tactical air launched decoy, deployed by an aircraft from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225. Capt. Michael W. McKenney, a Harrier pilot with VMA-211, fired the only AIM-120B to be fired that day.

"Everything that it was supposed to do it did," Chaney said. "It functioned as advertised."

According to McKenney, the weapon is in its early stages of testing, gearing toward implementation.

The combined support of participating parties helped the unit employ the event in the most effective manner.

"There was a lot of effort from the entire squadron to make this a successful endeavor," said McKenney. "The Marines had to learn a new weapon system and be able to load and test it. Also VMFA-225 played a vital role in the shoot by providing training support. Without them we could not have done it."

According to McKenney, the test allowed them to see where the capabilities of the aircraft and the unit stand.

With the success of the shoot, VMA-211 is preparing for their deployment with the MEU and their participations in Exercise Talisman Saber 2009 in Australia next month.
===========================
Stop NATO

Text Fwd: Air Force, Navy pilots train together over Okinawa

* Image source/ caption*

'An F-22 Raptor flies above Kadena Air Base, Japan during an air refueling mission Jan. 23, 2009. The F-22 is deployed from 27th Fighter Wing Langley Air Force Base, Va. in support of U.S. Pacific Command. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Chad Warren)

An F/A-18 Super Hornet from the Navy Strike Fighter Squadron 102 "Diamondbacks" flies over the Pacific. (U.S. Navy courtesy photo)

An F-22 Raptor shoots out a flare during an air combat training mission Jan. 15. The F-22 is deployed to Kadena Air Base, Japan, from the 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va., in support of U.S. Pacific Command. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Clay Lancaster)'


http://www.pacom.mil/web/site_pages/media/news%20200903/20090310-pilots.shtml
Air Force, Navy pilots train together over Okinawa
by Walter T. Ham IV
18th Wing Public Affairs KADENA AIR BASE, Japan
(March 10, 2009)

Air Force and Navy pilots are sharpening their aerial combat skills in simulated dogfights and strike missions in the skies over Okinawa from March 1 - 21.

Using Kadena AB as a power projection platform, F-15 Eagle pilots from the 67th Fighter Squadron and F-22 pilots from the deployed 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron are training with Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet pilots from the Navy Strike Fighter Squadron 102 "Diamondbacks."

Tracking the action from their E-3 Sentry aircraft, the 961st Air Airborne Control Squadron is directing the simulated air war - performing a mission akin to playing a supersonic chess game.

One of eight squadrons assigned to Carrier Air Wing FIVE, VFA-102 is based at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, and deploys on the Yokosuka, Japan-based aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73).

The Hornet pilots are engaging in a high-speed, high-stakes contest of hide-and-seek, flying with the U.S. Air Force's only stealth fighter - the F-22 Raptor.

Lt. Col. Lansing Pilch, a Raptor pilot and commander of the deployed 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, said his squadron was honored to introduce the Navy pilots to the Raptor. Colonel Pilch said with its state-of-the-art avionics suite, the 5th generation stealth fighter is a force multiplier that increases the capabilities of other fighter jets.

"The Super Hornet is an impressive, versatile aircraft," Colonel Pilch added. "Its wide range of capabilities could complement those of the F-22 extremely well in combat. Our goal with the 5th generation F-22 is to use our enhanced situational awareness to make those around us better.

• For more reading

• This article was originally published at: http://www.kadena.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123138940/

Text fwd: Kadena Airmen deploy to Thailand for Exercise Cope Tiger

* Image Source*

'Capt. Paul Lankes discusses the day's flying schedule with Royal Thai air force Wing Commander Arnon Charusombat March 11 at Korat Royal Thai air force base, Thailand. Wing Commander Charusombat and Captain Lankes both work in the live fly cell for Cope Tiger 2009. Cope Tiger is an annual, multilateral large force aerial exercise conducted in Thailand including U.S., Thai and Singaporean military forces. Captain Lankes is deployed from Kadena Air Base, Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Erika Yepsen)'


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http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123138592
Air Force Link
American Forces News Service
March 6, 2009

Kadena Airmen deploy to Thailand for Exercise Cope Tiger

-"This exercise is a great opportunity to hone our air combat skills while
practicing against different adversaries than we normally train against here."
-"This will facilitate any responses to regional events or contingencies in the
future."

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan - About 170 Kadena Air Base Airmen are deploying with 12
F-15 Eagles to Thailand to participate in Exercise Cope Tiger 2009 from March 9
through 20.

The F-15s from the 44th Fighter Squadron here will fly alongside their Thai air
force counterparts as well as the Singaporean air force and other U.S. Air
Force, Navy and Marine Corps air assets.

"This exercise is a great opportunity to hone our air combat skills while
practicing against different adversaries than we normally train against here,"
said Lt. Col. Peter Oertel, the 18th Operations Group deputy commander.

Cope Tiger is a multilateral combined/joint field training exercise that
enhances combined readiness and interoperability between allied forces,
reinforces U.S. commitment to the Pacific region, and demonstrates U.S.
capability to project combined and joint forces strategically in a multilateral
environment.

The event provides an unparalleled opportunity to improve our tactics between
our allied partners and cultivate interoperability and coalition procedures in
the employment of airpower between the three countries, the colonel said.

More than 2,300 people will participate in the exercise, including approximately
1,200 U.S. servicemembers and 1,100 servicemembers from Thailand and Singapore
forces. The exercise will take place at both Korat and Udon Thani Royal Thai air
force bases and includes 156 aircraft and air defense units, 55 of which are
from the United States.

"We also hope to build personal and international relationships with our allied
personnel," Colonel Oertel said. "This will facilitate any responses to regional
events or contingencies in the future."

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