I have a difficult time understanding why the Japanese government torments itself so much over the thought of shouldering more costs than it has already allocated for U.S. military bases, especially in areas where it does not even have jurisdiction. If Japan exists in the the promise of a "no-military" nation, it should not, in principle, respond to requests to support any military force, let alone a foreign one.

Japan has no obligation to support U.S. military activities outside of Japan. It perplexes me that Japan has sent armed-force assistance in support of U.S. operations where Japan has no cause for involvement, namely Afghanistan and Iraq. If Japan must provide financial support to U.S. forces, it should at least have a say in choosing what it will support and what it won't. Japan seems to be the only nation in the world that gives out money with no returns.

However, whether sharing U.S. base costs or not, or continuing aid in Afghanistan or not, seems superficial. Japan does not have its own army as it is within the defense wall of the U.S. military. But all nations have a military force. Japan upholds its constitutional agreement not to maintain a real army on the condition that all other nations respect that it cannot involve Japan in wars. If the world cannot guarantee that, then how does Japan see itself in the long term? Does it bow to the United States for centuries to come? What will Japan depend on when it can no longer buy a seat at international community meetings? Does it expect the U.S. to care for it?

The fact that Japan is experiencing a dilemma over U.S. demands is actually a good thing. Japan should take advantage of this to look into these underlying issues. It is short-term thinking for the government to feel carefree just because it has U.S. bases on its land. Japan needs to question how it can make itself into the kind of nation that other countries can talk to.

snooz suzuki