Non-US militaries are training in Okinawa

Dear all,  

On March 27, it was learned that Dutch Marines participated in a U.S. Marine Corps training program at the U.S. Northern Training Area in March. The Okinawa Defense Bureau was unaware of the visit of the Dutch troops, but a video of the training was broadcast by the 3rd Marine Division’s social networking site (SNS). Although the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty does not allow non-U.S. forces to train at U.S. bases in Japan, there have been frequent cases where other countries have participated in training programs in violation of the treaty. Experts view this as a problem, saying that “de facto violations of the Security Treaty have become the norm.

In 2018, a joint military drill was held between the SDF and a UK unit, a unit from a third country not included in the FTC Use Agreement. These drills embody the exercise of the right of collective self-defense under the Security Law (War Law) forcibly enacted by the Abe Administration in 2015, and are drills for waging war overseas. Since Japan has neither a security treaty nor a status of forces agreement with the UK, British troops are not allowed to land in Japan. Nevertheless, this training was carried out, in violation of international law. Prefectural residents who value democracy and human rights have joined together to protest.

As Matt Hoh alarmed in this video, Japan is giving up its sovereignty to the NATO alliance even without being a full member.