About 9,000 U.S. Marines along with their family members will be transferred under an agreement, announced on Thursday, that will reduce the military footprint in Japan, easing local resentments over the amount of land used by American forces. As part of a military buildup on the U.S. territory in the Pacific, 5,000 will be sent to Guam, according to a joint statement released by the U.S. – Japan Security Consultative Committee. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said, “I am very pleased that, after many years, we have reached this important agreement and plan of action.”
No exact timeline was given for the Marines to transfer, but preparations are underway at Guam. A statement said, “Recognizing the strong desires of Okinawa residents, these relocations are to be completed as soon as possible while ensuring operational capability throughout the process.” Of the 9,000 Marines getting transferred, 2,700 will be sent to Hawaii and others will rotate through a base in Darwin, Australia. The relocations of the Marines are in line with President Barack Obama’s objective to have the military have a geographically-distributed presence in the Pacific. “It’s forward-looking and meaningful, one that can act upon the changing security environment as well as reducing the burden on Okinawa,” Japan’s Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba said on Friday morning, satisfied with the agreement. The transfer, which was announced by U.S. and Japanese defense officials, ends years of back and forth talks aimed at cutting the American presence on the island south of Tokyo.
