OVERSEAS PRESENCE: Issues Involved in Reducing the Impact of the U.S. Military Presence on Okinawa
Abstract
The United States maintains a military presence of about 100,000 servicemembers in the Asia-Pacific region. Of this presence, 47,000 servicemembers are in Japan, over half of whom are based on Okinawa. On December 2, 1996, the United States and Japan agreed to a number of recommendations for reducing the impact of U.S. military operations and training on the people of Okinawa and thereby strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance. These recommendations were set forth in the Final Report of the Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO) and are to be implemented over the next decade. Concerned over the impact that implementation of SACO recommendations will have on the readiness and training of U.S. forces stationed on Okinawa, Congressman Duncan Hunter requested GAO to review several issues. This report (1) describes the Department of Defense's perspectives on the need for U.S. forces on Okinawa and (2) describes SACO'S report recommendations and identifies the impact of their implementation on U.S. operations, training, and costs, particularly the recommendation to build a sea based facility off Okinawa. The report also provides information on two environmental issues that may result from implementing the SACO recommendations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA338697
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office