Article
Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima approved the Japanese Defense Ministry’s application to reclaim land for the base on Okinawa’s coast to replace the U.S. Marine Corps base in Futenma, a more congested part of Okinawa’s main island.
But he later told a news conference that he would continue pressing to move the Futenma troops off Okinawa entirely, noting estimates it would take 9 ½ years to build the base.
“My thinking remains it would be fastest to relocate outside (Okinawa) prefecture to a place where there is already an airport,” he said.
He added that he approved the land reclamation because it met all environmental requirements.
The debate over the future of Futenma dates to 1996, when the U.S and Japan signed an agreement to close the base and move its operations elsewhere in Okinawa. In 2006, the two countries agreed to relocate the base to a relatively unpopulated area called Henoko in Nago city. But after the Democratic Party of Japan took power in 2009, it raised the possibility that the base could be moved off of Okinawa. While it later agreed to the Henoko plan, the proposal energized a movement to move the base elsewhere.
About half of the 50,000 American troops in Japan are based in Okinawa, and many residents complain about base-related crime, noise and the risk of accidents. Some feel the island is bearing an unfair share of the burden of protecting Japan from attack.
A key factor could be the outcome of a mayoral election in Nago next month that pits an opponent of the Henoko plan against a supporter.
“The governor is taking a risk putting the prestige of his office behind the project,” said Jun Okumura, a political analyst and former national government official. “I still don’t see the project going forward without the consent of the Nago mayor, but I see that this improves the chances of success.”
Nakaima’s decision could face court challenges and protests.
“What the governor has done is unforgivable,” said Yuichi Higa, the head of the Nago assembly. “Residents who are opposed will surely resort to the use of force, such as blocking roads to stop this from happening.”
Hiroshi Ashitomi, head of an opposition group in Nago, said his group would file a lawsuit seeking to cancel the governor’s approval of the land reclamation.
The decision was a politically difficult one, and came only after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Nakaima in Tokyo on Wednesday and offered him a package that included pledges of increased financial assistance for Okinawa.
While the base consolidation plan is designed to reduce the impact of the U.S. military on Okinawa, opponents want the Futenma base moved off Okinawa completely. The new base is part of an agreement that would also move 9,000 Marines off Okinawa, including transferring 5,000 to Guam.
The U.S., which wants to move forward with its plans to redeploy troops in Asia, welcomed the governor’s decision. “The U.S. looks forward to working with the government of Japan toward base consolidation,” the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said in a statement.
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About the game:
USA as a world power? In E-Sim it is possible!
In E-Sim we have a huge, living world, which is a mirror copy of the Earth. Well, maybe not completely mirrored, because the balance of power in this virtual world looks a bit different than in real life. In E-Sim, USA does not have to be a world superpower, It can be efficiently managed as a much smaller country that has entrepreneurial citizens that support it's foundation. Everything depends on the players themselves and how they decide to shape the political map of the game.
Work for the good of your country and see it rise to an empire.
Activities in this game are divided into several modules. First is the economy as a citizen in a country of your choice you must work to earn money, which you will get to spend for example, on food or purchase of weapons which are critical for your progress as a fighter. You will work in either private companies which are owned by players or government companies which are owned by the state. After progressing in the game you will finally get the opportunity to set up your own business and hire other players. If it prospers, we can even change it into a joint-stock company and enter the stock market and get even more money in this way.
In E-Sim, international wars are nothing out of the ordinary.
Become an influential politician.
The second module is a politics. Just like in real life politics in E-Sim are an extremely powerful tool that can be used for your own purposes. From time to time there are elections in the game in which you will not only vote, but also have the ability to run for the head of the party you're in. You can also apply for congress, where once elected you will be given the right to vote on laws proposed by your fellow congress members or your president and propose laws yourself. Voting on laws is important for your country as it can shape the lives of those around you. You can also try to become the head of a given party, and even take part in presidential elections and decide on the shape of the foreign policy of a given state (for example, who to declare war on). Career in politics is obviously not easy and in order to succeed in it, you have to have a good plan and compete for the votes of voters.
You can go bankrupt or become a rich man while playing the stock market.
The international war.
The last and probably the most important module is military. In E-Sim, countries are constantly fighting each other for control over territories which in return grant them access to more valuable raw materials. For this purpose, they form alliances, they fight international wars, but they also have to deal with, for example, uprisings in conquered countries or civil wars, which may explode on their territory. You can also take part in these clashes, although you are also given the opportunity to lead a life as a pacifist who focuses on other activities in the game (for example, running a successful newspaper or selling products).
At the auction you can sell or buy your dream inventory.
E-Sim is a unique browser game. It's creators ensured realistic representation of the mechanisms present in the real world and gave all power to the players who shape the image of the virtual Earth according to their own. So come and join them and help your country achieve its full potential.
Invest, produce and sell - be an entrepreneur in E-Sim.
Take part in numerous events for the E-Sim community.
