<p>According to <a href="http://www.rwi-essen.de/media/content/pages/publikationen/ruhr-economic-papers/REP_10_181.pdf" rel="nofollow">a study</a> in the Journal of Defense and Peace Economics on the economic impact of base closures "base adjustments have only a marginal impact on the local community in which the bases are located." However, that same study goes on to state that:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[E]vidence obtained from this line of research [case studies] can hardly be generalizable by design. An indication of this is the varied conclusions that these studies have reached. While a few found substantial negative impacts of the base closures, others have indicated that the local communities have been quick to adapt to the change in economic landscape.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I am interested in possible economic impacts on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okinawa" rel="nofollow">Okinawa</a> from US base closures. From the economy section of the Wikipedia article on Okinawa:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The 34 US military installations on Okinawa are financially supported by the U.S. and Japan. The bases provide jobs for Okinawans, both directly and indirectly; In 2011, the U.S. military employed over 9,800 Japanese workers in Okinawa. As of 2012 the bases accounted for 4 or 5% of the economy. However, Koji Taira argued in 1997 that because the U.S. bases occupy around 20% of Okinawa's land, they impose a deadweight loss of 15% on the Okinawan economy. The Tokyo government also pays the prefectural government around ¥10 billion per year in compensation for the American presence, including, for instance, rent paid by the Japanese government to the Okinawans on whose land American bases are situated. A 2005 report by the U.S. Forces Japan Okinawa Area Field Office estimated that in 2003 the combined U.S. and Japanese base-related spending contributed $1.9 billion to the local economy. On January 13, 2015, In response to the citizens electing governor Takeshi Onaga, the national government announced that Okinawa's funding will be cut, due to the governor's stance on removing the US military bases from Okinawa, which the national government doesn't want happening.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Are there any studies of the potential impact of base closures on Okinawa, or at least other islands which would be more similar to Okinawa than non-island Germany? If there aren't, are there newspaper articles?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-11T06:44:58.060Z
This really bugs me: Okinawa is not a nation, it is part of Japan. And Germany is not an island, so it is a safe bet that islands are more similar to Okinawa than to Germany.
Giskard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-11T08:12:43.730Z
@denesp Absolutely, nation was a stupid slip, I caught myself the second time I typed it but not the first. For your second point I don't get the issue. I completely agree with you and am asking if there was any research done on a more similar country.
Daniel F
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-11T09:23:36.780Z
I see, the first study you linked is about Germany. Now I understand.
Giskard
<japan>
Are there studies on the impact of the closing of military bases on islands, especially Okinawa
Daniel F
# Are there studies on the impact of the closing of military bases on islands, especially Okinawa

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-03-11)

According to [a study](http://www.rwi-essen.de/media/content/pages/publikationen/ruhr-economic-papers/REP_10_181.pdf) in the Journal of Defense and Peace Economics on the economic impact of base closures "base adjustments have only a marginal impact on the local community in which the bases are located." However, that same study goes on to state that:

> [E]vidence obtained from this line of research [case studies] can hardly be generalizable by design. An indication of this is the varied conclusions that these studies have reached. While a few found substantial negative impacts of the base closures, others have indicated that the local communities have been quick to adapt to the change in economic landscape.

I am interested in possible economic impacts on [Okinawa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okinawa) from US base closures. From the economy section of the Wikipedia article on Okinawa:

> The 34 US military installations on Okinawa are financially supported by the U.S. and Japan. The bases provide jobs for Okinawans, both directly and indirectly; In 2011, the U.S. military employed over 9,800 Japanese workers in Okinawa. As of 2012 the bases accounted for 4 or 5% of the economy. However, Koji Taira argued in 1997 that because the U.S. bases occupy around 20% of Okinawa's land, they impose a deadweight loss of 15% on the Okinawan economy. The Tokyo government also pays the prefectural government around ¥10 billion per year in compensation for the American presence, including, for instance, rent paid by the Japanese government to the Okinawans on whose land American bases are situated. A 2005 report by the U.S. Forces Japan Okinawa Area Field Office estimated that in 2003 the combined U.S. and Japanese base-related spending contributed $1.9 billion to the local economy. On January 13, 2015, In response to the citizens electing governor Takeshi Onaga, the national government announced that Okinawa's funding will be cut, due to the governor's stance on removing the US military bases from Okinawa, which the national government doesn't want happening.

Are there any studies of the potential impact of base closures on Okinawa, or at least other islands which would be more similar to Okinawa than non-island Germany? If there aren't, are there newspaper articles?

**Tags:** japan

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This really bugs me: Okinawa is not a nation, it is part of Japan. And Germany is not an island, so it is a safe bet that islands are more similar to Okinawa than to Germany.  
> **username_0**: @denesp Absolutely, nation was a stupid slip, I caught myself the second time I typed it but not the first. For your second point I don't get the issue. I completely agree with you and am asking if there was any research done on a more similar country.  
> **username_1**: I see, the first study you linked is about Germany. Now I understand.  

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## 0 answers

