Australian troops not welcome in Japan, says Okinawa governor

Michael Smith
North Asia correspondent
Apr 29, 2022 – 9.33am

Ishigaki, Japan | The governor of the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa says Australian Defence Force personnel are not welcome on the 150 islands he administers, as fears grow that rising tensions between China and US allies will lead to conflict in the region.

Denny Tamaki, the top official in the region who is up for re-election this year, said in an interview that he was worried the existing concentration of US forces had already made the islands a target for hostile forces.

He said the Okinawan people did not support Australian or other foreign defence personnel holding joint military exercises in Okinawa. Australia and Japan signed a defence deal in January that will open the way for their forces to step up training and host each other’s military.

Okinawa pineapple farmers Shingen, right, and Leo Kawahira share the same views on Australian troops as the prefecture’s governor.   Christopher Jue

“As the governor here, I would say that many people in Okinawa would oppose having Australian Defence Forces being stationed here, even temporarily, or to use a base in Okinawa where 70 per cent of the US forces in Japan have already been concentrated,” Mr Tamaki said in an interview with AFR Weekend.

“What worries them is that the concentration of the US forces might make Okinawa a target of a hostile nation’s attack. It is clear that more foreign troops on top of the US forces concentrate in Okinawa will increase the possibility of Okinawa becoming a target.

“When you see the situation Ukraine is in, I am determined not to have Okinawa experience the situation like that.“

Mr Tamaki is at loggerheads with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government over the heavy concentration of US military bases in Okinawa and plans to relocate a US Marine base on the main island. There are some 30,000 US troops based on Okinawa, 1500 kilometres southeast of Tokyo.


American MV-22 Osprey aircraft are at the ready at at the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa prefecture. Some 70 per cent of all US military bases in Japan are based in Okinawa. AP

While there are no plans to station Australian defence personnel in Japan, the Kishida government supports more joint military exercises with Australia, as it tries to deepen defence ties with Canberra and Washington because of shared concerns about China.  ...

An absurd argument and one that Tokyo does not share: if Taiwan were to be invaded Okinawa would be drawn into the conflict.