American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 25, 2013 – The Department of Defense
welcomes the announcement today in Tokyo that the United States and Japan will
negotiate a framework to further address environmental stewardship of United
States military activities in Japan, according to a DOD news release issued
today.
"The United States Armed Forces appreciates its close
partnership with Japanese Self Defense Forces and the government of
Japan," Hagel said in the release.
Hagel added, "This framework will help guide our
activities going forward related to our shared goal of reducing impact to
Japan's precious natural landscape as we continue to conduct operations that
provide for the common defense of Japan. This is yet another step we are taking
together in order to update and modernize our alliance to ensure it is able
meet the security challenges of the 21st century."
This framework will include a bilateral agreement that will
supplement the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), and will apply to
all U.S. activities across Japan, including Okinawa, the DOD release said.
The Embassy of the United States in Tokyo, Japan, today
issued a news release about the framework.
Here is the text of the U.S. Embassy’s release:
The Government of Japan and the U.S. Government recognize
the two Governments’ successful efforts on the environment, including 36 years
of close cooperation in the Environmental Subcommittee and other relevant
subcommittees of the Joint Committee, as well as the implementation of the
“Joint Statement of Environmental Principles” announced in 2000. Bearing in
mind such bilateral efforts on the environment, the two Governments reached a
common view on the significance of further strengthening bilateral cooperation
in this field by recognizing the importance of the environmentally friendly
operations of U.S. Forces in Japan, as well as by enhancing positive relations
between local communities and U.S. Forces in Japan. Regarding U.S. Armed Forces
facilities and areas scheduled for return, including those identified in the
2013 Consolidation Plan for Facilities and Areas in Okinawa, the Government of
Japan affirmed its responsibility for environmental restoration.
Based upon the above mentioned shared view, the two
Governments announce the launch of bilateral consultations towards producing a
framework further addressing environmental stewardship relating to U.S. Armed
Forces facilities and areas in Japan. This framework is to include a bilateral
agreement that would supplement the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement
(SOFA) as well as other documents. The two Governments understand that the
consultations are to be conducted based on the following:
1. Recognition of the importance of environmental protection
and its contribution to managing risk to human health and safety. The two
Governments affirmed their continuing commitment to implement the “Joint
Statement of Environmental Principles.”
2. Application by U.S. Forces in Japan of high environmental
standards:
A. U.S. Forces in Japan, in accordance with U.S. policy,
apply the Japan Environmental Governing Standards (JEGS), which are drawn from
the more protective of U.S. standards, generally applied and enforced Japanese
national standards, or any applicable international agreement standards.
B. The U.S. Government’s review of local installation
procedures periodically to ensure consistency with the JEGS, and to communicate
that report to the Joint Committee.
3. Producing uniform procedures for reasonable host nation
access to facilities and areas:
A. Following a contemporaneous environmental incident, i.e.,
a spill;
B. For site surveys associated with land returns as
announced in the October 3, 2013, Security Consultative Committee (SCC) Joint
Statement.
4. Commitment by the Government of Japan to take measures to
support environmentally friendly projects by U.S. Forces in Japan as well as to
enhance positive relations between local communities and U.S. Forces in Japan,
in close consultation with the U.S. Government. Measures to be taken by the
Government of Japan include:
A. Taking new environment-related financial measures
additional to the current Facilities Improvement Program (FIP), which the
Government of Japan committed to under the June 21, 2011, SCC document on Host
Nation Support (HNS).
B. Assuming costs for other environmental measures within
the U.S. Armed Forces facilities and areas under a new framework constituting
an additional exception relating to Article XXIV of the Japan-U.S. Status of
Forces Agreement (SOFA).
C. Taking environmental measures around the U.S. Armed
Forces facilities and areas to improve further environmentally friendly living
conditions of both local communities and those within the U.S. Armed Forces
facilities and areas.
Posts
