Okinawa’s Koja calls for central government to explain ‘minimum’ military buildup

Newly elected Okinawa Gov. Genta Koja has urged the central government to better explain the “minimum” defensive capabilities needed in the country’s most southerly prefecture as Japan focuses on its far-flung islands and tensions over the U.S. military presence there persist. 

Speaking at a news conference Monday in Tokyo, Koja emphasized the need to balance the “Nansei shift” — a strategy seeking to deter adversaries by building up Japan’s defense capabilities in its southwestern region — with the wishes of Okinawa’s residents. 

“I intend to firmly demand that the government explain exactly what constitutes the minimum necessary self-defense capabilities to maintain peace, and why particular military functions and facilities are required,” he said.

The comments by Koja, the first Liberal Democratic Party-backed candidate elected governor of Okinawa in over a decade, come as anger in the prefecture continues to simmer following the arrest of a U.S. Marine on suspicion of robbing and murdering an Okinawan woman in October — the latest of a number of serious incidents between American forces and residents over the years. 

Okinawa has a disproportionately high share of American troops in Japan, with the prefecture hosting 70.3% of the U.S. military’s facilities in the country despite representing just 0.6% of its land area.

Koja also reiterated his demand for a “fundamental” review of the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) in the wake of the latest incident involving a U.S. service member.

Koja said the current agreement was “not enough” to safeguard residents.  

Asked about what changes he would like to see, Koja said he is pushing for alterations that would oblige the U.S. to “promptly comply with requests from the Japanese side to transfer suspects in detention prior to indictment.” 

Under the pact, the U.S. side can currently hold suspects until their indictment by Japanese authorities — though the U.S. has at times allowed American suspects to be detained prior to arrest.

“We would like to have this made clear within the agreement and ensure that this is done in all cases,” Koja said. 

There has been limited progress since the murder in October, including Japan announcing last week enhanced education programs for the U.S. forces based in Okinawa. The measures, set to take effect in fiscal 2027, which begins next April, will include lectures by Japanese officials and teaching about Okinawa’s culture and history before troops are deployed to Japan.

Koja also raised long-held environmental concerns about leaks of “forever chemicals” such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) near U.S. military facilities in Okinawa. Local authorities have not been allowed to carry out on-site surveys at U.S. bases to investigate the white foam, which is suspected of being harmful to people. Koja is appealing to the central government to allow Okinawa’s government under the SOFA to conduct their own surveys into the chemicals.

As part of efforts to ease the American military “burden,” Koja is also looking to close the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, situated in the center of the prefecture, and complete its long-delayed transfer to the Henoko area in the prefecture’s north. 

Despite his pleas for constraint, Okinawa’s geopolitical position is more crucial than ever as China continues its military posturing around the “first island chain” region, which extends from Japan to Borneo. 

Last month, Beijing sent more than 50 naval and other vessels to regional waters that stretch to Taiwan and the Philippines.

Koja acknowledged the threat, saying, “the security environment surrounding Okinawa is becoming increasingly severe.”

“I believe that the most important point of our security alliance with the U.S. is to protect the peace of Okinawa and Japan,” he said, adding that pursuing diplomacy with East Asian countries was another essential strategy for stabilizing the region.