Far from Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, as the Group of 7 wealthy democracies gathers in Italy to discuss a range of old, entrenched challenges, the nature of American power is being transformed across the region that Washington sees as crucial for the century to come: the Asia-Pacific. Here, the United States no longer presents itself as the confident guarantor of security, a trust-us-we’ve-got-this superpower. The terrain is too vast, China’s rise too great a threat. So the United States has been
U.S. Department of Defense
Moderator)
Director, East-West Center in Washington
Members of Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki s advisory group, the Bankoku Shinryō Council on U.S. Military Base Issues, discussed the findings and recommendations contained in their March 2021 report. After initial remarks by Governor Tamaki (English translation here), members of the Council addressed the following issues (PowerPoints available here): (1) the need to reconsider the Futenma Replacement Facility project at Henoko and eliminate the dangers from Futenma Air Station, (2) implications of US-China strategic competition for Okinawa, (3) new operational concepts of the US military and their implications for US bases in Okinawa, (4) Indo-Pacific diplomacy and Okinawa, and (5) the US-Japan Status of Forces Agreement and the impact of US military training on local communities in Okinawa and the rest of Japan.