About 9,000 U.S. Marines stationed on the Japanese island of Okinawa will be moved to the U.S. territory of Guam and other locations in the Asia-Pacific, including Hawaii, under a U.S.-Japan agreement announced yesterday. The move is part of a broader arrangement designed to ease tensions in the countries' defense alliance, which stem in part from opposition to the American presence on the island. It also reflects a desire by the Obama administration to spread U.S. forces more widely in the Asia-Pacific region, as America rebalances its defence priorities after a decade of war in the Middle East. Moving out: Around 9,000 U.S. Marines stationed on the Japanese island of Okinawa are to be relocated under a new U.S.-Japan agreement
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Marines will relocate to Hawaii and the U.S. territory of Guam - but 10,000 will stay on the island
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Move will cost an estimated $8.6 billion
Japanese
Japan
Japanese
Japan
Okinawa: The sub-tropical island is home to around half of the U.S. troops stationed in @placeholder territories
Guam
Guam
According to the joint statement, their departure will come 'when appropriate facilities are available to receive them' on @placeholder and elsewhere.
U.S. Marines
U.S. Marines
Marines
The Obama administration believes the new agreement with Japan will make the alliance more sustainable, while also giving the @placeholder more regional flexibility.
U.S. Marines
U.S. Marines
Marines
The cost of relocating @placeholder to Guam is expected to be around $8.6 billion, and defence officials claim Japan will pay $3.1 billion of this.
Guam
Guam
The cost of relocating Marines to @placeholder is expected to be around $8.6 billion, and defence officials claim Japan will pay $3.1 billion of this.
Okinawa
Okinawa
shift of Marines from @placeholder to Guam has been in limbo for years