New and old domestic issues challenged the Abe government, while “Trump shocks” rattled Japan’s foreign relations. Domestically, Abenomics produced mixed results, the depopulation bomb continued ticking, and Abe’s reelection presaged a possible attempt at constitutional amendment.

This paper examines the reasons behind Henoko’s decision to accept a controversial U.S. military base. It highlights the impact of a path dependency created amid early postwar socioeconomic conditions of deprivation and political compulsion, resulting in the Okinawan village’s structural incorporation into the U.S. base economy.