Regarding the July 17 Kyodo article, "Noda: Japan has no choice in Osprey deployment plan": Yoshihiko Noda has proven to be just another in a long line of weak and spineless Japanese prime ministers. Japan bends to every wind the United States sends over, allowing the U.S. and its military industrial complex to walk all over the country with absolutely no regard for the consequences or the welfare of the Japanese people.

The people of Japan have demonstrated numerous times against moves by the U.S. military that impinge on their lives, but the U.S. occupation of Japan remains.

Under the current status quo, the people of Japan have no voice, no democracy and no hope. There is only one way for Japan to regain sovereignty, and that is to expel the American military from Japan. A country that is officially pacifist should not have to suffer hosting the world's most belligerent and warmongering power on its soil. Send the U.S. military packing and let Japan regain its democracy and self-respect.

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.

timothy bedwell