Okada, Clinton recognize importance of Okinawa assent over Futenma

HANOI, July 23 Kyodo -
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton shared recognition Friday that the understanding of Okinawa residents
would be indispensable to push forward the planned relocation of a key U.S.
Marine base within the southern Japanese prefecture.
Okada told reporters that he and Clinton confirmed during their talks on the
sidelines of a regional security forum meeting in the Vietnamese capital that
experts of the two countries will complete their study on technical details of
the planned transfer of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station by the end
of August as scheduled.
''Japan and the United States will cooperate for the completion of the experts'
study in late August,'' Okada said.
''We basically agreed that the issue will not substantially move forward
without the understanding of Okinawans and that we should cautiously and
steadily push ahead by keeping close contact with each other,'' he said.
Under a bilateral accord on the base transfer reached in May, experts from the
two countries are scheduled to finalize the relocation plan by late August, but
the Japanese government has recently suggested the work may be delayed due to
opposition from Okinawa residents.
Okada said he assumes Clinton is aware that the situation in Okinawa remains
difficult with many opposed to the base relocation plan.
Under the May base accord, Japan and the United States are expected to formally
decide on the Futenma relocation plan during the next meeting of the two
countries' foreign and defense ministers after the experts' study. But Okada
said he and Clinton did not fix the timing for the minister-level talks this
time.
The Japanese minister also said he and Clinton confirmed unity among Japan, the
United States and South Korea in dealing with North Korea in the wake of the
deadly sinking of a South Korean warship in March, which Seoul blames on
Pyongyang. The North has strongly denied involvement in the naval incident.
Okada said Japan supports the United States' new sanctions against Pyongyang
and U.S.-South Korea joint naval drills beginning Sunday in the Sea of Japan.
A Japanese official quoted Okada as telling Clinton the joint drills will be
''deterrence against provocative actions of North Korea'' and ''demonstrate
that the U.S.-South Korea alliance remains the basis of regional peace and
stability as the Japan-U.S. alliance does.''
On Wednesday in Seoul, Clinton announced the sanctions aimed at stopping North
Korea's nuclear proliferation and halting illicit activities that help fund the
North's nuclear weapons program.
North Korea has called for the cancellation of the joint drills, saying the
exercises will undermine peace and security in the region. Japan will also send
Self-Defense Forces personnel to the military training as observers.
Japan and the United States also shared concerns over Iran's nuclear program
and reaffirmed that they will implement punitive steps under a United Nations
Security Council resolution adopted in June. Okada said both Japan and the
United States are considering additional sanctions against Tehran.
==Kyodo