Workers on U.S. military bases have borne a tremendous burden, and it's time for the Japanese people and government to sincerely think about their role. These workers have their fundamental human rights and even their very livelihoods threatened by the tyrannical US military and the Japanese government's policy of blindly following the U.S. while washing its hands of any responsibility

"From the hour of their birth, some are marked out for subjection, others for rule." ? Aristotle

I spent April 13-14 with Tsuyoshi Saito, the former upper house member, and our time together reminded me of just how great a man he is. Saito is one of very few politicians who has worked diligently for years on behalf of the base workers. In fact, he is the most passionate politician on this issue. While most politicians turn and run from the many issues facing base workers, Saito has been fighting on the front lines.
　　　　In September 2005, Saito decided to walk away from his upper house seat to challenge former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on his home turf by running against him in Kanagawa Prefecture's 11th district (Yokosuka and Miura cities). While Saito was unable to defeat Koizumi, his courageous actions inspired and gave hope to those critical of Koizumi-style politics.
　　　　Since Saito turned in his House of Councillors badge, he has continued to work for the improvement of the base workers' situation. The members of the All Japan Garrison Forces Labor Union have a deep trust for and solidarity with Saito because everybody knows he's devoted to their cause.
　　　　On April 13, we attended a study group held by the Marine division of the Japan Garrison Forces Labor Union (known as Zenchurou in Japanese).The division's educational and promotional team had published a Japanese-language report entitled "The Important Issues Facing Base Workers." Here is what the report had to say about the current conditions workers face:
　　　　"Because we, as base workers, have a unique work environment influenced by US military policy and international happenings, we essentially work in a state of uneasiness. The military reorganization being planned by the US and Japan (and directed by the Marine Corps on Okinawa) has left us in a state of anxiety regarding our employment. The Temporary Law to Deal with Redundant Workers on US Military Bases has been indispensable for us in forming our policy on resignations."
　　　　Base workers face a very unsettling situation. That's because the Finance Ministry has targeted them as part of its budget reductions.
The ministry wants to abolish a program that supplements the salaries of base workers and gives them an allowance for language study.
　　　　According to the Marine division's report:
　　　　"The income adjustment began in 1948, during the Occupation, to give those working on the bases special consideration and to raise their average salary to 10% more than the average salary of a Japanese civil servant."
　　　　The Finance Ministry wants to get rid of both the salary adjustment and the language allowance. The report goes on to say:
　　　　"Financial authorities are urging the abolition of the salary adjustment and language allowance because this is part of the larger target of cutting base-related spending. But for us, the salary adjustment (which is 10% of our total pay) and the language allowance are part of our basic needs. If they are abolished, our standard of living will take a direct hit."
　　　　On the subject of the language allowance, the report has this to say: 　　　　"The language allowance was adopted on April 10, 1948, by the then Labor Ministry as an official revision of pay for regular government service. The system that was enacted at the time gave skilled workers a 56% raise on average, with an allowance for clerical workers that was 10-30% of their salary and a language allowance that was 10-50%." 　　　　The base workers are harboring a lot of discontent and anxiety over the Finance Ministry's moves.
　　　　The ministry's actions "violate the spirit of national laws like those surrounding child care and nursing or the Labor Standards Law, and there is no mention of improvements for other national government employees when it comes to pensions and social welfare packages," the report says. "In fact, it seems like a one-sided attack on the basic standard of living of base workers. We can't allow their goal of abolishing salary adjustments and language allowances, and we are negotiating to make sure our way of life is not destroyed."
　　　　"The base workers are shouldering two burdens," an executive of the Democratic Party of Japan's Okinawa branch told me.
　　　　The first is the deep suffering that comes with working on the base when one really would like to see the bases disappear.
　　　　The second burden is the dualism that results from working for the US military but being paid by the Japanese government. It puts the workers in an unsettling situation.
　　　　The truth is that the Japanese government acts without taking responsibility; it has no independence from the despotic US military.
　　　　The US military bases are operated according to the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan and the subsequent US-Japan Status of Armed Forces Agreement. And the base workers exist because of the same treaty and agreement. The terms dictate that the Japanese government assumes responsibility for the fundamental human rights and livelihood of the base workers. The Japanese government is not allowed to take an irresponsible stance on this issue. This just simply should not be permitted.
　　　　In the political world, people watching this issue include the vice speaker of the House of Representatives Takahiro Yokomichi and about 10 other opposition party members.
　　　　Surprisingly, groups of enthusiasts of the Japan-US alliance within the governing party have made almost no effort to improve the plight of base workers. Members of the ruling coalition have no interest in the problems workers face on the bases.
　　　　I'd like to ask these politicians a question: Is this the best you can do?
　　　　The problem of the base workers should be a bipartisan issue. I'd like to make a direct appeal to those lawmakers with strong ties to the country's defense circles, including the Minister of Defense himself. Tell the US military authorities that the rights and the livelihoods of Japanese base workers must be protected.