The US Armed Forces have decided to abandon their plan to withdraw the 4th Marine Regiment from the southern Japanese island of Okinawa.
The regiment is intended for operations on small islands near Taiwan in the event of a military conflict in the area. It was previously planned to be relocated to the US island of Guam as part of a program to reduce the military presence in Okinawa, reports Kyodo news agency.
This plan was revised for operational reasons. The US military command estimated that the distance from Guam to the Taiwan area is approximately 3,000 kilometers, and from Okinawa - about 500 kilometers, and this significantly reduces the time for the deployment of the regiment in the event of an emergency.
Washington and Tokyo have been negotiating for years to reduce the US contingent in Okinawa. About 70% of US military bases in Japan and practically all combat units are concentrated there, which causes discontent among local authorities and the population. Currently, approximately 19,000 US Marines are stationed on Okinawa, 9,000 of whom were decided to be withdrawn from the island, including 4,000 to Guam.