经济学人下载:美国驻日军队,又一年的迷失

The senators argue that instead of building a costly new facility, the marines should be moved to a huge existing base in Okinawa called Kadena, and that part of the American air force currently at Kadena should be relocated to Guam. Okinawans living near Kadena stridently oppose the marines, but the senators say the idea could free up land and reduce noise levels around Kadena. Moreover, the senators say, with the huge costs of the March earthquake and tsunami, Japan can hardly afford to add to its fiscal burden. The third senator, Jim Webb, adds that Robert Gates, America’s outgoing defence secretary, is “very open to our suggestions”.

参议员认为，与其修建开销巨大的新基地，不如让海军搬到在冲绳嘉手纳（Kadena）已经修建好的巨大军事基地，而在这个基地的部分美国空军可以撤离到关岛。居住在嘉手纳附近的冲绳岛居民反对海军的到来，但是参议员说这个提议能腾出土地并且减少嘉手纳附近的噪音等级。此外，参议员说由于三月地震和海啸的巨大开销，日本很难承受的起撤离计划的财政负担。第三位参议员吉姆??韦伯（Jim Webb）补充道：“美国即将离任的国防部长罗伯特??盖茨（Robert Gates）非常同意我们的建议。”

All the same, this week Japanese and American officials, including Mr Campbell, reaffirmed their commitment to the relocation plan, as if the senators’ idea was off the table. Yet no one thinks the original deadline of 2014 for moving the base will be met. Indeed, given the opposition in Okinawa, perhaps Futenma’s replacement at Henoko will never be built. In which case, Kadena may prove the only option. It seems as foolhardy not to discuss the option as it is to maintain such an awkward silence over China’s rise.

本周日本官员和美国包括坎贝尔在内的官员还是重新确认了迁移计划，就好像参议员的提议从来没有提起过一样。然而，没人认为最初确定的2014年之前撤离整个基地的计划能够实现。事实上，考虑到冲绳县反对的声音，作为普天间军事基地替代的嘉手纳基地可能永远都修建不起来。在这种情况下，嘉手纳可能是唯一的选项。就像对中国的崛起保持尴尬的沉默一样，不讨论这一选项似乎也是很鲁莽的行为。