By I actually agree with the critics of the free toll passes on this issue:
The Japanese Ministry of Defense will discuss the U.S. military’s use of free toll passes for servicemembers renting vehicles while off duty, but stopped short of saying it would end the practice.The ministry will talk about creating a system that takes into account the purpose of trips made in rentals and other vehicles with government license plates, a ministry official told Stars and Stripes on Monday.
The decision comes after the Board of Audit of Japan released a strongly worded report calling for enforcement of Article V of the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement, which exempts only U.S. vehicles used for official purposes from paying tolls.
The board began the audit after noticing that a Yokota Air Base agency’s Web site advertised toll passes with all car rentals.
There is apparently a perception gap between the U.S. military and Japan on “official purposes,” said Yuichi Anzai, chief of the 1st Defense Audit Office of the 2nd Bureau at the Board of Audit of Japan. [Stars & Stripes]
If a servicemember is not on official duty they should have to pay highway tolls just like everyone else in Japan. In Korea when servicemembers are in tactical or government vehicles while on the highway they do not have to pay the highway tolls either. However, in Korea you are not supposed to use a government vehicle to go touring around in. For some reason in Japan the rental vehicles have the government license plates which is allowing people renting to not pay highway tolls. The easy answer to this is to take the government license plates off the rental vehicles.
5:53 am on October 29th, 2009 1
Uh, yeah, right. Obviously, you don’t seem to know much about MWR operations or in this case FSS operations. There are silly and almost wacky requirements that they have to abide by to exploit servicemembers to the max extent possible. Just ask the AAFES cartel about their price matching taunt next time you are at the PX/BX.
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7:03 am on October 29th, 2009 2
As you can see, Japan has joined the other side.
US losing perks one by one as they weaken and withdraw from Asia. America’s day in the sun is setting and the days numbered, as China rises and exerts its financial and military dominance over much of Asia, and even America itself. China is talking about regional Asian FTA (minus the USA), while the US shrivels up and talk belligerance and protectionism.
Not that I’m happy that China is taking over Asia, but that is the new reality here. But I’m happy to see the last of the American arrogant attitude gone from Asia.
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8:46 am on October 29th, 2009 3
Didn’t we conquer these people 50 years ago?
What good is dropping an A-bomb on someone if you can’t get free passes for toll roads.
Why are we still on Okinawa anyway? Bunch of ungrateful people, I’ll tell you what.
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3:37 pm on October 29th, 2009 4
Tom,
Be careful what you wish for.
America, despite all its faults, is a better master than China even aspires to be.
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