Future jungle warfare training sessions eyed in Okinawa

NAHA, Japan, July 2 Kyodo - Military liaison officers from Germany, Israel, Japan and the Netherlands visited a U.S. jungle training center in Okinawa Prefecture in May ''for possible future jungle training sessions,'' according to a website run by the
U.S. Marines in Japan.

''Several foreign liaison officers attached to the Marine Corps Combat
Development Command in Quantico, Virginia, visited the Jungle Warfare Training
Center (at Okinawa's Northern Training Area) for a site survey May 21,'' the
Marines said in a news release.

''The liaisons, representing Germany, Israel, Japan and the Netherlands, toured
the training area to gain firsthand insight of how Marines train in jungle
environments and to build relations with the (Okinawa-based) 3rd Marines
Expeditionary Force for possible future jungle training sessions,'' it said.

Maj. Mark Givens, a command liaison officer, was quoted as saying, ''The visit
served as a stepping stone toward those long-term goals.''

The news release, quoting Marine officials, said the visit was exploratory in
nature, as any arrangements for non-U.S. personnel to use the facility will
first have to be approved by the government of Japan.

The Northern Training Area stretches from the villages of Kunigami to Higashi
as the only jungle training center for the exclusive use of U.S. forces.

Higashi village Mayor Seikyu Iju said that while people in Okinawa earnestly
want a reduction and consolidation of the U.S. military presence in Okinawa,
the planned jungle training sessions ''could lead to a strengthening of U.S.
military facilities in Okinawa and disturb the people there.''

In a 1996 agreement on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, the United
States promised to return half of the Northern Training Area to Japan.
==Kyodo