Harmony-breaking words
(From The Japan Times March 10 issue)

同盟関係を損なう米高官の失言

The assemblies of Okinawa Prefecture and two cities in the prefecture — Naha and Urasoe — on March 8 unanimously adopted resolutions protesting comments by a U.S. official that allegedly disparaged the Okinawans. Other Okinawan assemblies will follow suit.

In an off-the-record lecture in Washington in December before 14 students who were about to visit Tokyo and Okinawa, Mr. Kevin Maher, head of the office of Japan affairs at the U.S. State Department, allegedly said "Okinawans are masters of 'manipulation' and 'extortion' " when they deal with the Tokyo government and that "although Okinawans grow goya (bitter gourd), other prefectures grow more than Okinawa. Okinawans are too lazy to grow goya."

He reportedly says that an account of his lecture made available to Kyodo News is "neither accurate nor complete." Even so, the alleged comment by a person who served as the consul general in Okinawa from 2006 to 2009, will likely deepen distrust of the U.S. government among the Okinawan people.

Mr. Maher has been directly involved in negotiations with Japan over the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. He allegedly said in connection with the Futenma issue that the Tokyo government "needs to tell the Okinawan governor, 'If you want money, sign it (Futenma deal).' " His alleged comment will enrage Okinawan people and stiffen their opposition to the Japan-U.S. agreement to move the Futenma base inside Okinawa Island. It will make them demand more strongly for the relocation of Futenma base outside Okinawa Prefecture.

It is astounding that it did not occur to a diplomat specializing in the Japan-U.S. security setup that the remarks as he allegedly made would deepen resentment among Okinawan people and that a mutual security arrangement surrounded by resentment would not properly function. Referring to Japanese culture of wa (harmony), Mr. Maher allegedly said, "While the Japanese would call this 'consensus,' they mean 'extortion' and use this culture of consensus as a means of 'extortion.' " If someone takes this reported remark as arrogant and insulting, one cannot blame that person.

沖縄県議会と那覇、浦添両市議会は米高官の暴言に対する抗議決議を全会一致で可決した。

米国務省のメア日本部長は昨年12月、大学生を相手にしたオフレコの講義で、同県民は「日本政府に対するごまかしとゆすりの名人」、｢怠情でゴーヤも育てられない｣などと発言した。

2006年から3年間、在沖縄総領事を務めた氏は報道を「正確でも完全でもない」と否定したが、米政府に対する県民の不信は強まるだろう。

米軍普天間飛行場の移設問題の交渉に直接関わってきたメア氏は、日本政府は沖縄県知事に対し「お金が欲しいならサインしろ」と迫るべきだとも語っている。県外移設を求める沖縄の人々の声は強まるだろう。

氏はまた、日本の文化は合意に基づく｢和｣の文化であり、「日本人は合意文化をゆすりの手段に使う」と語ったとされる。このような発言を無礼と感じる人がいたとしても無理はない。