Okinawans have been complaining about Futenma forever. I would think that recent flights are intended to push the base move issue and is not related to Korea.
There are ~23k US troops in S Korea. That is probably sufficient.
>Though most would agree that perfect world no base is best scenario, most don't care or are for due to EVERYONE having an impact financially from the base. Directly or indirectly.
As for Okinawa, this seems to be the explanation most give. On the other hand, Okinawa would be an island paradise for tourism which no-basers try to push.
The real story is the US simply doesn't want to give up the location and the JP gov is fine with that (they certainly don't want more troops on the main islands). Okinawa has always been the Japanese red-headed step child.
interesting to note that Hatoyama won the 2009 PM election by campaigning for moving the base from Okinawa and also draining the bureaucratic/corporate swamp in Tokyo. He was run out of office 10 months later by the swamp in both Tokyo and DC (headlined by Obama) using similar tactics they are currently using on POTUS.
Hatoyama was too weak to fight back. POTUS is not. MAGA
LOL Japan doesn't need it for security any longer. They have much stronger forces than they let on, most likely including some nuclear capabilities.
The official reason for the bases initially, was to keep Japan from ramping up their military again post war. Now the US wants them to put boots on the ground with US troops. Of course, that was pre-Trump.
Abe insists on changing the constitution, taking out Article 9 which prohibits them from anything other than homeland security.
I mentioned the nukes in another comment.
As for JFK, it seems he was eliminated for a lot of reasons (casting no doubts on your comment, anon).
It was not specific about Okinawa (sorry if I misled), only about Japan's possible nuclear capabilities (thinking about those nukes and the transfer of nuclear tech/material to Japan while I was writing that comment)
However, I would be interested to read your digs on Okinawa and JFK.
Daylight in London and still no JA sighting on the RUPTLY live feed (though I imagine there are other exits in the building)
Breads running out and I'm off to bed but I will respond to your dig tomorrow. It is very interesting and explains a lot of what has happened over the past 1/2 century and more.
Good job, anon.