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On December 5, Tokyo Shimbun of Japan carried an article calling on the authorities to amend the agreement on the status of US forces in Japan.

The article pointed out that investigation and entrance into the US military bases in Japan, including the Yokoda base in Tokyo Metropolis presumed to be a source of pollution, have been rejected in succession while a nationwide investigation into organo-fluorine compounds that can cause cancer is under way.

Disclosing that the agreement on the status of the US forces in Japan, which granted the US army privileged status, constitutes an obstacle, it demanded that the authorities start amendment to the agreement to protect the people’s health.

Asserting that the privileged position of the US army also affects the bearing of expense, it revealed that the expenditure borne by Japan in dealing with the pollution by organo-fluorine compounds in the Futenma airfield amounts to nearly ¥ 600 million even though the agreement stipulates that the maintenance of the base is borne by the US army.

It also stressed that the current situation of being forced into bearing the expenditure without explaining such realities cannot be overlooked.