The article "Security alliance isn't fair to U.S., Donald Trump says" in the Aug. 28 edition tells us that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said at a gathering in Iowa that the Japan-U.S. alliance isn't fair because "it obligates the U.S. to protect Japan while Japan is not obligated to protect the U.S."
Sounds natural, but is it really so? For our part, it's like hearing the boss of a crime syndicate telling people who live on his turf, "It's unfair that we must protect you when your home is attacked, but you don't have to protect us."
The U.S. has 88 bases and facilities in Japan, of which 20 are in the Tokyo metropolitan area and 33 are in Okinawa, which are offered to the U.S. on the house — most of their maintenance costs are borne by Japanese taxpayers.
If Trump tells his audience in Iowa that the U.S. is unfairly being obligated to protect Japan, then I would suggest that the Japan-U.S. security treaty be terminated, and that the U.S. forces in Japan pack up and go home immediately.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.
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