By Via a reader tip comes yet another tasteless Korea Times cartoon:
The cartoon implies the US military is some big bully on Okinawa and Prime Minister Hatoyama is powerless to stop it. That couldn’t be further from the truth. If the Japanese government doesn’t want the US military all they have to do ask the US government to remove the trips and they will be gone, ask the Philippines.
The fact of the matter is that the troops on Okinawa are there for the national interests of both countries and Prime Minister Hatoyama has finally woken up to this fact as well as the fact that the agreed upon Futenma Relocation Plan is the best plan to reduce both US servicemembers on Okinawa but it footprint as well.
10:10 pm on May 29th, 2010 1
The cartoon isn't so much portraying the USA as bullying but maybe as an overwhelming and immovable opponent. The Hatoyama and US military base characters are supposed to be sumo wrestlers. Notice the loin straps with the hanging tassel sticks?
12:38 am on May 30th, 2010 2
Yes I noticed the loin straps, but the cartoon clearly tries to depict Hatoyama as powerless against the big US which is smashing Okinawa. This is not true and the US military will leave Okinawa when it is no longer in the interests of both countries to have the US military there.
2:15 am on May 30th, 2010 3
Actually the Japanese wanted a very different deal but Barack Obama was very arrogant towards them.
9:07 am on May 30th, 2010 4
The cartoon misses the local issues in Okinawa, and, as I understand from Japan blogs, how private interests on Okinawa and government agencies and politicians have become invested in the bases. On a very simple level, my understanding is, that Hatoyama is sitting atop a coalition with different opinions and also facing the US with its own relationships to private interests and politicians on the issue. Obviously, Hatoyama is weak, but it's not a matter of being strong. A small group of people who represent every opinion imaginable have disproportionate influence over the issue and the majority with as many opinions as little or none. The US can't just leave Okinawa anymore than President Obama could solve immigration or make the oil spill go away.
9:27 am on May 30th, 2010 5
Well said.
12:05 pm on May 30th, 2010 6
The U.S. is there under a SOFA. Don't want them there? Then don't approve the SOFA. Again, look at the Philippines and you will see how to get rid of U.S. forces. I think Japan and Korea should both cancel their SOFAs and let the U.S. leave.
1:02 pm on May 30th, 2010 7
Aren't there fast food restaurants on the US base on Okinawa?
11:15 am on July 2nd, 2010 8
The irony of the cartoon is that the biggest US presence on Okinawa are Marines.
Of course, the Navy uniform is probably easier to draw…