Correction-a loud vocal number in Okinawa hate the US Military. Okinawa hosts a disproportionate number of the US military in Japan so they have a different perspective on it. Most mainland Japanese couldn't care less about the US military presence in Japan as it doesn't affect them personally.
For them to ask for US military assistance is significant.
The government caught a lot of flak at the time for not accepting US offers of assistance after the Hanshin earthquake in '95. They have learned their lesson.
On Facebook chat with my son, he says he hopes they go to improve relations. He hasn’t heard who from 3rd Med Bn may go.