Inside the Pentagon’s Mount Fuji War Base in Japan

November 18th, 2021 - by Bruce Gagnon / Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space

Inside the Pentagon’s Mount Fuji War Base in Japan

Bruce Gagnon / Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space

BRUNSWICK, ME (November 15, 2021) — In 1952 the US-Japan signed a Security Treaty that allows Washington to use any part of Japan it wishes for military operations.

Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji is the ‘premier’ US military training area in the Pacific region. The Pentagon has ‘exclusive jurisdiction’ over this training base. The US operation at Camp Fuji was moved from Okinawa sometime after 1953.

Some of the activities performed at Camp Fuji include:
•  Aircraft bombing range
•  Paratrooper training from C-130 aircraft
•  Helicopter training
•  Osprey training
•  Live fire range (artillery, mortar, white phosphorus, missiles etc)

The US Navy transports heavy military hardware into their Yokosuka Navy base and it is then moved to Camp Fuji. Japanese peace groups often protest at the seaport.

As a result of the Obama-Hillary Clinton strategic ‘pivot’ of US forces into the Asia-Pacific, the need is growing for more barracks for troops, airfields for war planes, and ports for US naval warships. Thus the expansion of bases in Australia, Okinawa, South Korea, Guam and throughout the region’s island chains gives the Pentagon quick access for war with China (and Russia).

Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) also train with the US at Camp Fuji. Increasingly Japan’s SDF are being drawn into US military operations around the world — clearly violating the peaceful ‘Article 9’ of their constitution.

As with any US military base around the globe (more than 800 of them) there are problems. In 1995 three US Marines raped a young girl. Others include:
•  GI auto accidents
•  Non-stop war preparation noise
•  Pollution of air, water and lands
•  The people of Japan become a target in any war the US initiates

Troops from the United Kingdom (and likely other NATO nations) are brought to Camp Fuji for training. Doing this also violates the Japanese constitution and international law.

I only knew about this Camp Fuji base because I was lucky enough to join a recent webinar led by Japanese activists who are trying hard to wake up Americans and others to the frightening dangers the people in the Asia-Pacific face as Washington goes ‘all-out’ on China.

US troops in the region have a slogan that goes like this — ‘Ready to fight – tonight!’

Imagine if you lived on Okinawa, Guam or Jeju Island and had to face that rhetoric every day. Would make you half-crazy.

The peace movement in Japan is asking us to help expose this cancerous war machine and help stop these military exercises at Camp Fuji. For us in the US we are paying for it in more ways than one.

I felt a great need to share this and appreciate you reading it and hope in some way you pass it on.

Bruce Gagnon is the Coordinator at Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space.