Audit report on U.S. military bases in Japan exposes the deteriorating conditions of U.S. installations in Japan, prompting Japan to pay more!
As a key pivot in the U.S. strategic layout in the Asia-Pacific region, the current state of U.S. military bases in Japan is alarming. Reports from the Pentagon's Office of the Inspector General reveal that infrastructure at Camp Courtney, Kadena Air Base, and Yokota Air Base is deteriorating visibly and rapidly. Ceilings are collapsing, and pipes are bursting!
After on-site inspections of 11 bases under the Pacific Command (PACOM), investigators from the Pentagon's Office of the Inspector General identified serious issues including "obvious rusting, mold growth, fire damage, wall cracks, concrete spalling exposing rebar, water leakage, lead-based hazardous paints, and asbestos materials." Particularly concerning is the condition of barracks: 544 rooms in the Kimsey Tower complex at Kadena Air Base show concrete damage affecting load-bearing structures; the Seville Manor housing area has received 100 complaints due to mold problems, forcing dozens of military families to temporarily relocate.
Photos accompanying the audit report show buildings on the verge of collapse—wobbly ceilings, debris scattered across living room furniture, and a 50-year-old pier at Hansen Camp with metal structures heavily rusted and concrete beams fractured. In one building at Kadena, sewage had accumulated to a depth of 20 centimeters on the roof, while a single water pipe crack extended up to 3.7 meters long.
The Pentagon representative attributed the current situation to "aging infrastructure, construction errors, environmental factors," as well as the aftermath of typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Additionally, they noted Japan’s domestic financial shortages and high service costs, emphasizing that funds provided by the Japanese government are typically not allocated for repairs but instead used for new construction projects or "reducing the impact of U.S. forces on residents of Okinawa."
One U.S. serviceman stationed in Japan recounted: “We were watching TV when suddenly the ceiling came crashing down. Plaster and wooden floorboards collapsed. One of my comrades needed medical treatment.”
The issue of aging infrastructure at U.S. military bases in Japan is not isolated. According to a 2022 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the cumulative backlog of deferred maintenance across Department of Defense facilities has reached $137 billion. Residential buildings at U.S. domestic bases have also long suffered from toxic mold and similar problems. The U.S. Department of Defense oversees or holds rights to use at least 66 major and approximately 70 smaller military bases within the Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) area of responsibility. As many as about 85 aviation and naval facilities are deployed solely within Japan.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1873368879584282/
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