Third in a series
Forty years after the U.S. returned Okinawa to Japan after a 27-year occupation, the public agreement ensuring American bases would remain after reversion and the secret agreement allowing the U.S. to reintroduce nuclear weapons continue to create anger in Okinawa and problems for the Japan-U.S. security alliance.
But as declassified U.S. cables and other documents related to the negotiations that led to the 1971 agreement to return Okinawa to Japan clearly show, opposition in Okinawa to the U.S. bases long before 1972 was the major factor that forced both Washington and Tokyo to act. They also made clear the U.S. desired to remain in Okinawa after the reversion and retain the right to bring in nuclear weapons.
"At the time of the reversion discussions, America was extremely concerned about keeping its bases, especially Kadena Air Force Base. But the U.S. was also worried about whether it would be allowed to keep nuclear weapons in Okinawa after reversion," former Okinawa Gov. Masahide Ota said recently.