Local Newspaper Interviews Consul General on Base Transformation

Consul General Thomas G. Reich was interviewed on May 8 by the Okinawa Times. Following is an unofficial, edited transcript from the interview done at the Consulate General.

Question: What are the details of the 8,000 Marines and their families scheduled to relocate to Guam?

CG Reich: The report that was issued last week calls for about 8,000 Marines to go from Okinawa to Guam. It is estimated that about 9,000 family members will be included.

Question: At present, the current number of Marines on Okinawa is about 12,000. If you take away 8,000 Marines, you will only be left with 4000 Marines. Is that calculation correct?

CG Reich: I haven't seen the figure for how many Marines will remain. The number of Marines on Okinawa is constantly going up and down. But this report calls for moving about 8,000 Marines from here to Guam.

Question: What is the schedule for return of bases south of Kadena Air Base?

CG Reich: If you go on our website, you can read what is called the "Roadmap" - this is a document that was released last week - it is in Japanese, too - and it gives a lot of answers to your questions. But according to that "Road map," there are going to be six locations on Okinawa that both governments will examine for complete or partial return. They are Camp Kuwae, Futenma, Camp Zukeran, Makiminato, Naha Gunko, and what is called the Kuwae Fuel Farm. These are the six facilities that are going to be examined by both governments. And that process of examining these facilities, both governments hope to complete by March of next year, and hopefully come up with some decisions. Now as for when land can be returned, the Roadmap actually explains this. The Roadmap says that, after Futenma is relocated to Camp Schwab, and after the 8,000 Marines are transferred to Guam, if there is any facility that has to be relocated within Okinawa from these six places, when all of that is complete, when those three steps are completed, then we can return this land.

Question: You mentioned the return of these six facilities. Will parts of these bases will be relocated to Camp Hanson, in the northern part of Okinawa?

CG Reich: What the Roadmap says is that, if there are some facilities or capabilities at these six places that we need to relocate, then we will relocate them within Okinawa before the land is returned. It doesn't say where.

Question: Will this be a simultaneous return?

CG Reich: It is not going to be a simultaneous return. This is a staged process. Some things have to be completed before we can do the next stage.

Question: What is the earliest that everything can be accomplished?

CG Reich: Both governments have said that they would like to accomplish everything by 2014.
That is only eight years. That is a lot of change in eight years. But that is the goal that both governments have set. 

Question: After 2014? Or by 2014?

CG Reich: Both governments have said they would like to relocate Futenma, transfer Marines and return land by 2014.

Question:Including the land return by 2014?

CG Reich: That is the objective. Can we do it within that time, I don't know. Everyone on the U.S. and Japanese sides have been careful to say that these are goals. We are going to try our best. These are not absolute, ironclad deadlines.

Question: Is it a package deal regarding Futenma and Marine relocation, and the return of facilities south of Kadena Air Base?

CG Reich: It is a package.

Question:In regards to the relocation of Marines to Guam, what will you do if there is no delay in construction in Guam but a delay in relocating Futenma?

CG Reich: This is a package. We do intend to implement it as a package. I must say that I do not see the prospect of significant opposition because we have seen a lot of acceptance for this package. Mayor Shimabukuro and all five mayors of northern Okinawa agreed with the Central Government last month to accept this. In our own discussions with Okinawa leaders, we have seen very good acceptance. We are feeling confident about the ability of the Japanese Government to implement all the parts of this package.

Question: Is there any possibility that the transfer to Guam will not take place?

CG Reich: From our standpoint, this is a package. We expect all the parts of the package to move forward. I don't see any obstacles here. I don't see any obstacles to prevent one of these parts from moving forward. We are feeling very confident.

Question: What kind of aircraft will be used at Camp Schwab?

CG Reich: We are talking about transferring the capabilities of the Marine Air Wing from Futenma to Camp Schwab. The Roadmap does not actually how many CH 46's, CH 50's, it doesn't mention aircraft types at all. What we are going to do is to transfer the capabilities of Futenma to Camp Schwab.

Question: What is the possibility of aircraft, outside of helicopters, such as air refueling tankers, being used at Camp Schwab?

CG Reich: I really don't know anything about that. They are going to be transferred away from Camp Schwab, so I don't really know if they will use them or not at Camp Schwab.

Question: What is the possibility of the Osprey being used at Camp Schwab?

CG Reich: It is well known that the Osprey will replace the CH 46 helicopter. That is going to happen. However, there is no announcement of a deployment schedule for the Osprey to come to Okinawa.

Question: Can you absolutely ensure that aircraft from Camp Schwab will not fly over nearby communities?

CG Reich: In the vast majority of circumstances, in normal operations, yes. 

Question: What about the case of touch and go exercises? How can you absolutely promise that that won't happen in such instances?

CG Reich: I don't know about in touch and go training. I haven't asked that question. And this V-shape will be a different situation than with Futenma. I don't know about touch and go's, but I do know that we will respect the flight routes that we are asked to fly.

Question: Have you promised to limit the take offs and landings from the V shaped runways?

CG Reich: The U.S. and Japan are still discussing in working groups how to construct this new facility and we have not worked out precise flight routes and operations procedures yet, and so I can't really comment on that. I can only say that we will respect whatever routes we are asked to fly.

Question: Will the U.S. military continue operations at Futenma until the completion of the new facility?

CG Reich: Until the new facility is completely ready, we will continue to use Futenma. And we will continue to use all available safety measures to fly as safely as possible at Futenma.

Question: What is your reaction to the Governor's temporary helo pad proposal?

CG Reich: I have read about the Governor's proposal in the newspapers. That is not the plan of the United States and Japan. The plan of the United States and Japan is the one announced last week.

Question: You are saying that the plan is different from the plan accepted by the United States and Japan. Does that mean you don't accept it?

CG Reich: I haven't heard from Washington or the Embassy in Tokyo, but the U.S. and Japan just last week, our foreign ministers, our defense ministers, met and approved it. It is hard for me to imagine that we are going to fundamentally change it. As I said, we think there is good acceptance for this whole base transformation package. We are very confident about this acceptance in Okinawa.

Question: Won't it be dangerous if you continue operations at Futenma for the eight years while they are building the new facility?

CG Reich: It will be a continuation of the current situation where Marine aircraft continue to use Futenma. But I think we see such good acceptance that I think most Okinawans realize the way to close Futenma is to hurry up and build a replacement facility, and now we have a way to do it. I don't think there is any time to waste. And I think Okinawans will continue to understand and accept the necessity to build this new facility. If we can build this facility earlier than in eight years, that would be great. But 2014 is our goal. We are going to get it done as quickly as we can.

Question: Won't the burden be increased with joint use/joint training with the Japan Self Defense Forces?

CG Reich: The report does say that we are going to try to disperse some air training, not just at Kadena, but all our bases in Japan, so this is not just for Kadena. We are doing it all over Japan.

And how many planes are going to go where, for how many days, this has not been decided. I expect it will start slowly. I don't know the natural level of routine dispersal of aircraft will be, and I don't think anybody knows the answer to that since this is something new.

With regard to local people's fears that joint use is going to mean an increase in the burden, we are aware of those concerns. And I know the Japanese Government is sensitive to those concerns. In fact, the Roadmap actually says specifically both governments are going to be sensitive to those local concerns about an increase in burden.

Question: How many Japanese employees on the bases will be affected by base transformation?

CG Reich: I don't know. You probably should talk to Boeishisetsukyoku about that. There are about 8,000 employees on our bases. How many will be affected, I don't know, but it is going to be a sizeable number, there is no question about that. What measures are going to be taken to protect them, I don't know. But that is a very good question.

Question: What is the possibility of closing Camp Courtney with the transfer of the 3rd MEF Headquarters staff to Guam?

CG Reich: Actually, Camp Courtney is not on the list for return, so I expect we will continue to use Courtney. What will be the specific functions, what units will be bases there, we cannot forecast.

Question: What is the possibility of also transferring the combat troops (who remain on Okinawa) to Guam?

CG Reich: This final report, it makes a distinction between headquarters and administrative Marines and combat Marines. And both governments made a specific decision that Okinawa is so important strategically that the combat units should stay here.

Question: Is there the possibility of joint use of bases expanding to outside of Kadena and Camp Hansen?

CG Reich: I don't want to say that it will not expand. But right now, we are looking at two places specifically where we do joint training, that is Kadena and the Central Training Area (known to Okinawans as Camp Hansen).

Question: Would it be possible for the Japan Self Defense Forces to eventually replace the Marines on Okinawa?

CG Reich: Only the future can answer that question. But our alliance clearly wants to see both militaries operating together so that we can maximize our deterrent capability. It is impossible to forecast today someday the Jietai doing all sorts of things so that the Marines can leave here, but in our new alliance, anything is possible.

Question: Do you see the possibility in the future where the two nations would use a Jietai facility for joint use (rather than, like at Kadena or Camp Hansen, where the facility will be controlled by the US?)

CG Reich: I think my answer to that question is as the previous question: only the future can tell.

Question: What are the military merits for moving the Marines to Guam?

Question: The move to Guam is mainly to reduce the burden in Okinawa. This is a burden reduction move. And we decided that we could do this and still maintain deterrence. But the main advantage is for the people of Okinawa.

Question: Will you be able to maintain deterrence with the transfer to Guam?

CG Reich: Yes, otherwise we wouldn't do it.

Question: What is your view regarding the criticism being heard in Japan about the cost related to base transformation?

CG Reich: The Japanese side will be paying most of the bill because most of the changes are taking place in Japan. No one knows what the final figure will be (for the move to Guam.) I think it will take more time to find out the final bill. But I think it is very much in the interests of Japan and the United States. And when you look at the United States that pays close to 4 percent of its gdp and Japan, which pays less than 1 percent, there is a big difference in spending between the United States and Japan, a huge difference, and that difference is far, far larger than the amount of money we are talking about now.

Question: But the costs associated with Guam are not occurring in Japan.

CG Reich: It is something new for Japanese to appreciate. This is not building facilities in Japan, but in Guam. We are moving the Marines to Guam because the Japanese Government wants that to happen, because the Japanese Government wants to reduce the burden of Okinawa. This also illustrates something about the new alliance we are going to have. We have alliance assets in this region that are there for the good of the U.S. and Japan. They may not always be there in Japan. In this case, they are going to be in Guam. But that directly strengthens Japan's security.

Question: With the relocation of the 3rd MEF headquarters and various other facilities to Guam, do you see the possibility of shifting, for example, the helicopters currently based at Futenma, (and intended for Camp Schwab) to Guam?

CG Reich: I don't know about the future, but for as far as we can see, Okinawa's strategic location is so important that Marine units will remain here. This should not be surprising to anyone.

Question: What is the significance of the base transformation agreement?

CG Reich: I think it is going to be great for Okinawa because it is going to reduce the burden so much. But it will also strengthen the alliance. But I know most people on Okinawa are focused on burden reduction, but if you look at it from that viewpoint, I think it is a great result. There is going to be a big reduction in Marines. There is going to be, I think, a lot of land, and we are going to get Futenma close, and we have a realistic plan to do it. I think that it why the Governor highly evaluates this plan. And I think that is why Nago has agreed to this. And we have seen very good local acceptance. I know you don't read about that in local newspapers here, but I believe we have good local acceptance.