Japan, U.S. Agree on Base-Related Environment Pact

Tokyo, Oct. 20 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese and U.S. governments said Monday that they have agreed to conclude a pact that allow environmental surveys in U.S. base sites in Japan before they are returned to Japan. The new pact stipulates the right of Japanese municipalities hosting U.S. bases to conduct prior surveys in the bases, such as research on cultural property and soil contamination. The Japanese government hopes the pact to supplement the Japan-U.S. status-of-forces agreement will be approved at the next ordinary parliamentary session, which will start in January. The pact is designed to help U.S. base-hosting municipalities to utilize returned land smoothly. Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima has been calling on the Japanese government to agree on such a pact with the U.S. government. The southernmost Japan prefecture hosts most of U.S. bases in Japan. In Tokyo on Monday afternoon, the Japanese government held a meeting on measures to reduce Okinawa's burden of hosting the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma air base, where Prime Minister Shinzo Abe explained the new pact to Nakaima. The governor appreciated Abe's efforts on the pact. As the bilateral status-of-forces agreement has no provision on the environment, relevant municipalities have so far conducted environment surveys by seeking approval from the U.S. forces for each case. The new pact also calls for Japan's financial assistance for eco-friendly projects by the U.S. forces, such as those to install solar power panels. END