About 8,000 US marines to move to Guam from Okinawa

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WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US military will move around 8,000 marines from Okinawa to Guam by 2012 as part of an agreement on the realignment of US forces there, a Pentagon spokesman said.

The number of marines to be relocated is about 1,000 more than the Pentagon originally estimated when it signed an agreement on October 29 with Japan regarding the US military presence in Japan, said Lieutenant Colonel Brian Maka.

"Upon further analysis, it looks like ... roughly the number is going to be about 8,000 (marines)," he said.

The United States estimates the move will cost around 10 billion dollars, and wants Japan to pick up 75 percent of it, he said.
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Any changes are highly controversial in Okinawa, which hosts half the 40,000 US troops stationed in Japan.

Opposition to the US military presence has remained strong since the 1995 rape of a schoolgirl by US service members.

More: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060314/wl_asia_afp/usjapanmilitary_060314232354

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. since only 1995 huh?

Not ever since we plunked ourselves down there and took over 80% of the usable land in Okinawa, right after we dropped the bomb on their country?

silly reporters.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

4. More like 1945, when the U. S. captured the island during WWII.

[jimshoes]

2. I know this is simplistic but

that works out to $1.25 million per soldier.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. I think that 10billion number is wrong

not even DOD could spend that kind of money.

unless we are talking building all the infrastrucure we now have to train Marines on Okinawa on Guam... then maybe.