John W. wrote:

> On Feb 21, 11:44 pm, The 2-Belo <the2b...@msd.bigREMOVETHISlobe.ne.jp>
> wrote:

>> I wonder what would happen to me if I went to Naha with the wife for a vacation
>> now? Would both US and Japanese authorities recognize my spare-tire gut and
>> decidedly non-military bearing and leave me alone, or would I be constantly
>> harrassed?
>>
> I say go for it. No doubt you'll get some ugly looks, particularly if
> the wife is Japanese, but aside from that you should be one of only a
> handful of gaigin on the beach. You could make yourself a T-Shirt that
> proclaims your non-US-military-ness.

I went to Okinawa with the family (wife and son) for a short while a few 
months back, and it was absolutely lovely. Granted, there had not been 
any highly publicized instances of criminality involving the US military 
recently, but I encountered absolutely no hostility whatsoever. I don't 
really look like an active duty Marine, but my appearance is quite 
obviously gaigin. I would sum up the way people acted as pretty much 
like Japanese in other parts of Japan, only friendlier.

If you go to places in Okinawa that are frequented by Japanese tourists, 
as opposed to those that are targeted specifically at a US military 
client$(D??(Ble, I would think you would have no problems.

-- 
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Scott Reynolds                              scottreyn@gmail.com