Why is Japanese officialdom so willing to tolerate troublesome U.S. military bases? In Okinawa, Tokyo constantly risks harmful local antagonism in its efforts to satisfy U.S. base demands there.
Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara has made a very reasonable proposal to allow joint civilian use of the vast U.S. Yokota Air Base on the outskirts of Tokyo. But he, too, is stone-walled by the central government.
Recently I visited Yamato City near U.S. Atsugi Air Base, to talk to a local committee trying to organize an international friendship week there. Our talks were drowned out by the roar from U.S. low-flying exercises scheduled for precisely the same week.