http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/GB24Dh03.html
Japan Feb 24, 2005 Japan to become 'Britain of the Far East' By Kosuke Takahashi .. ... ... .. ... ... On Saturday, the two countries also agreed to look into handing over to Japan US-held base management and air-traffic-control rights in order to expand the joint use of the facilities, including Yokota Air Base in Tokyo. If this new arrangement is realized, the SDF would manage the bases and use them in conjunction with the US military. This looks like a US gesture of goodwill toward the Japanese public by making some concessions to Tokyo. Most Japanese politicians seem to believe that this joint use, instead of exclusive US use, would lead to a scaling back of the US military presence in the future. But some critics have pointed out that this could be just a pragmatic strategy of the US, without a real difference. By reducing the current footprints of US bases, Washington appears to seek those bases being made permanent but less offensive, despite strong anti-base movements such those as in Okinawa. .. ... ... .. ... ...