Fact-finding mission on possible Japanese military training on Tinian

A seven-member delegation from Japan’s Ministry of Defense visited Tinian yesterday for what Japan and CNMI officials called a “fact-finding” mission on the possible use of Tinian for Japanese military training alongside U.S. forces as part of realignment in the region.

Yesterday’s visit is independent of the scheduled training of some 200 U.S. Marines from Okinawa on Tinian in May to June.

Tinian Mayor Ramon Dela Cruz, in a phone interview after the Japanese delegation left Tinian, said the fact-finding visit gave local officials a chance to pitch Tinian’s advantages as a possible training site for Japanese forces.

“First is Tinian’s proximity to Japan. It’s only about three hours [by commercial plane]. There are existing runways suited for military training such as Runway Baker, away from the bomb pit and away from residential areas. There’s no need to lease public lands because two-thirds of the island are already by the U.S. Department of Defense, which they have been working together with,” Dela Cruz told Saipan Tribune.

Dela Cruz said the Japanese were “very impressed” with what they saw as possible training grounds for their forces.

“They said they could have a report by May,” the mayor said. “But we never spoke about money. They never even committed to spending money, but there was talk of possibly refurbishing a runway they might use.”

Senate Vice President Jude U. Hofschneider (R-Tinian), chair of the Tinian Legislative Delegation, separately said that Japan is looking at Tinian as a possible training ground for their military personnel but any final decision hinges on what Japan would make of the visiting team’s findings and recommendations.

“So at this time, it’s premature to say that they will use Tinian for Japanese forces. However, Tinian is always open to U.S. military training because they lease two-thirds of the land. But because U.S. and Japanese forces are conducting joint training, they might see Tinian as another area where they can train together,” said Hofschneider.

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial’s office, meanwhile, confirmed that the governor held a teleconference with Joint Guam Program Office director Capt. Dan Cuff after the Japanese delegation’s visit to Tinian.

“Captain Cuff took the opportunity to inform the governor that this is not an official high ranking Japanese delegation but representatives that were interested in a quick visit to look into the proposed force realignment currently being discussed by the U.S. and the government of Japan,” press secretary Angel Demapan said.

Demapan said Cuff indicated that an official visit may be arranged and facilitated with the governor following a review of the findings of this visit.

“Governor Fitial would like to review the findings and the proposal on this matter,” he added.

Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sablan (Ind-MP), who received a briefing in Washington, D.C. last week on the U.S. military’s plan for the region, earlier said there’s no plan to build a permanent U.S. base on Tinian at this time and that it will remain as a training site.

Island tour

The Tinian Mayor’s Office released the names of the visiting Ministry of Defense officials from Japan.

They included Morio Ito, councilor at the Ministry of Defense; Ayako Kimura, counselor at the Ministry’s Secretariat; Shigeyuki Uno, deputy director of the Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation Division under the Ministry’s Defense Policy Bureau; and Miyatake Isao, deputy director at the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty Division, North American Affairs Bureau.

Also part of the group were Lt. Col. Mamoru Yamaura, F-X Project Office, Defense Plans and Policy Department, Air Staff Office under the Ministry; Commander Kazushi Yokota, JMSDF, of the Plans and Policy Section of the Maritime Staff Office; and Capt. Naruto Nishi, JMSDF, director of Defense and International Policy Planning Division of the Joint Staff Office.

Col. Robert Loynd, officer-in-charge of MARFORPAC (FWD) Guam and CNMI, along with JGPO’s Maj. Darren Alvarez, accompanied the Japanese delegation.

Don Farrell, the Tinian mayor’s chief of staff and point man on military issues, said in a statement that the morning was spent on a historical tour of Tinian’s military leased lands, including North Field, the Atomic Bomb Pits, the Atomic Bomb Assembly Building area, Unai Chulu, Unai Babui, and Mt. Laso.

Before having an island-style lunch buffet at Fleming’s Restaurant, the delegation also visited the Tinian harbor.

Joining the visitors at Fleming’s for a luncheon hosted by the Tinian mayor were Hofschneider, Sen. Frank Cruz (R-Tinian), Tinian Municipal Council chair Estevan Cabrera, Council vice chair Jose Cruz, Delegate Gregorio Sablan’s Tinian District Office director Matthew Masga, and cadet Kenneth Cruz, a Tinian High School graduating senior.

Farrell quoted Ito as saying that this was only a “fact-finding mission.”

“However, he and his delegation repeatedly stated how very pleased they were with the friendly nature of the Tinian Chamorros and thanked Mayor Dela Cruz for the warm hospitality,” he said.

The Tinian mayor said he was very excited about the possibility of Japanese military personnel training on Tinian.

“The Americans and the Japanese fought fiercely on Tinian 68 years ago. We were bitter enemies,” he said in a statement. “Now we are the strongest of allies. It would be historic and heartwarming to see American Marines and Japanese soldiers training side-by-side on Tinian today.”

Tinian was the launching pad for the two atomic bombs that the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, hastening the end of World War II.

Dela Cruz’s office said there was no discussion of the rumored “co-financing” of a military facility on Tinian.

“Mr. Ito stated that there is no existing plan for activities on Tinian. However, Colonel Loynd did state that the Marine Corps is working diligently on creating a new plan for Tinian in accordance with demands from Washington, D.C., and that they would very much enjoy training with the Japanese Self-Defense team on Tinian,” the mayor’s office said.

Japanese media, particularly Yomiuri Shimbun, has been reporting that a total of 8,600 U.S. Marines are set to be relocated abroad from Okinawa.

Quoting unnamed sources, the news agency said that Tokyo and Washington also agreed that Japan’s financial assistance for the relocation, which has been the focus of attention in Japan, will include construction costs for training sites on Tinian and Pagan in the CNMI where the two governments plan joint defense drills.

The agreements, Japanese media said, were confirmed by foreign and defense officials from both countries at a vice ministerial meeting Thursday.

According to the agreement, Japanese media said, as the U.S. relocation has been scaled down, the total relocation cost to Guam will be lowered from the $10.27 billion agreed upon in 2006 to $8.7 billion.

Japanese media said that because Japan will cover the cost of building training sites on Tinian and Pagan, construction costs for Guam facilities will also be lowered from the amount decided upon in the 2006 agreement.

CNMI officials said they have yet to receive official communication about this.