ID :
124251
Wed, 05/26/2010 - 06:47
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/124251
The shortlink copeid
SDP to stay within gov`t, despite opposition to Futemma plan
NAHA, Japan, May 25 Kyodo -
The Social Democratic Party is planning to stay in the ruling coalition on
condition that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama agrees to continue negotiations on
the future of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture,
party lawmakers said Tuesday.
Even so, the SDP leader on Tuesday called on the governor of Okinawa to mount a
united front to thwart the government's plan to relocate the U.S. base within
the prefecture.
''We shouldn't add more bases to Okinawa than now,'' SDP chief Mizuho Fukushima
said during a meeting with the governor, Hirokazu Nakaima, asking him to work
together toward the goal -- a move that could be perceived as contradictory
given her ministerial portfolio in Hatoyama's Cabinet.
During talks in the prefectural capital of Naha, Nakaima repeated his view that
the plan, which seeks to relocate the base within the prefecture, has a slim
chance of finding acceptance among the people of Okinawa.
Fukushima's visit to Okinawa followed Sunday's trip there by Hatoyama, during
which he announced the latest plan, backing off from his earlier pledge to move
the base outside of the prefecture.
Fukushima, who also met with other local leaders, has been dissatisfied with
the plan, which seeks to move Futemma to an area near the Henoko district in
Nago from the city of Ginowan -- an idea effectively in line with an existing
relocation plan under a 2006 bilateral agreement with the United States.
Despite Fukushima's strong opposition, Hatoyama told reporters in the evening,
''As a matter of course, I believe we have to make a decision in one way or
another at a Cabinet meeting'' before the prime minister's self-imposed
deadline of May 31 for resolving the dispute.
Hatoyama said he wants to engage in serious discussions with Fukushima to win
her understanding over the relocation plan.
While there are calls within the SDP, which is part of the coalition government
with Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan and the People's New Party, for the
party to leave the coalition, those calling for it to stay within the
government appear to be winning out.
As long as Hatoyama ensures that the decision to be made by the deadline will
not be the final one, the lawmakers said the SDP is likely to decide to be part
of the government.
Many people in Okinawa oppose Hatoyama's plan to move Futemma within their
prefecture given that he had raised their expectations by saying before last
summer's general election that he would seek to relocate the base ''at least
outside the prefecture.''
Fukushima has expressed displeasure with a joint statement to be compiled by
the governments of Japan and the United States by Friday laying out what has so
far been agreed on between the two allies over the matter.
''It's extremely strange that (the statement is expected to be issued) when no
agreement has been obtained from Okinawa or the coalition parties,'' the SDP
leader told reporters. ''It's the wrong way around.''
In vowing to resolve the matter by the end of this month, Hatoyama had said he
would seek by then an acceptance from all the major parties concerned -- the
three governing coalition parties, the United States and whoever would host
Futemma's replacement facility -- over a government relocation proposal.
But she stopped short of making clear whether her party would leave the
coalition, saying, ''We will work hard until the last minute not to add a new
burden (to Okinawa) by staking our life on it.''
Fukushima also agreed during a separate meeting with Yoichi Iha, mayor of
Ginowan, a densely populated city hosting Futemma, to seek to get the space
used by the facility returned to the Japanese side.
Futemma, home to Marine helicopters in Okinawa, has frustrated and angered
residents nearby due to its noise and risks posed to them. The return of its
land was originally agreed on by the two countries in 1996.
Kantoku Teruya, an SDP member elected in an Okinawa constituency who serves as
the party's Diet affairs chief, has suggested that the SDP leave the coalition
or that he leave the party in opposing the government's latest relocation plan.
At a news conference in Tokyo earlier in the day, Fukushima said Teruya's
position reflects his ''ardent desire not to expand bases in Okinawa,'' which
hosts about 75 percent of the land area used for U.S. military facilities in
Japan, and that it is therefore an ''important opinion.''
''I will also pay close attention to the shape in which the Japan-U.S. joint
statement comes out,'' she said.
On Tuesday, Hatoyama expressed reservations about Fukushima's visit to Okinawa,
which she said the same day would be made in her capacity as the SDP leader,
telling reporters, ''I have reservations about her going to Okinawa as a person
in the capacity of a Cabinet member.''
''But because she is also the SDP chief, going there in that role cannot be
helped,'' Hatoyama said.
Meanwhile, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano criticized Fukushima's
rejection of the government plan to relocate Futemma within the prefecture,
saying her claim that it goes against an agreement among the coalition parties
is baseless.
Under the agreement forged ahead of the launch of Hatoyama's government last
September, the three parties said they will seek to review the realignment of
U.S. forces in Japan -- a key part of which was Futemma's relocation to a new
facility in Nago -- and U.S. military bases in the country.
''Although various decisions can be made if the content (of the plan) has gone
beyond the agreement, that's groundless,'' he said at a news conference,
suggesting the plan would not necessitate the SDP's departure from the
coalition.
Economy minister Masayuki Naoshima agreed with Hirano that the plan has not
gone against the agreement, saying Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan, the
People's New Party and the SDP had not agreed to move Futemma outside the
prefecture.
''It's a little problematic to distort things and repeatedly say in public,
'That's a violation of the agreement','' he said. ''I have problems with her
going around setting things on fire.''
After her meeting with Nakaima and Iha, Fukushima was also scheduled to meet
separately with Susumu Inamine, who was elected Nago mayor in January opposing
its relocation to his city.
==Kyodo
The Social Democratic Party is planning to stay in the ruling coalition on
condition that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama agrees to continue negotiations on
the future of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture,
party lawmakers said Tuesday.
Even so, the SDP leader on Tuesday called on the governor of Okinawa to mount a
united front to thwart the government's plan to relocate the U.S. base within
the prefecture.
''We shouldn't add more bases to Okinawa than now,'' SDP chief Mizuho Fukushima
said during a meeting with the governor, Hirokazu Nakaima, asking him to work
together toward the goal -- a move that could be perceived as contradictory
given her ministerial portfolio in Hatoyama's Cabinet.
During talks in the prefectural capital of Naha, Nakaima repeated his view that
the plan, which seeks to relocate the base within the prefecture, has a slim
chance of finding acceptance among the people of Okinawa.
Fukushima's visit to Okinawa followed Sunday's trip there by Hatoyama, during
which he announced the latest plan, backing off from his earlier pledge to move
the base outside of the prefecture.
Fukushima, who also met with other local leaders, has been dissatisfied with
the plan, which seeks to move Futemma to an area near the Henoko district in
Nago from the city of Ginowan -- an idea effectively in line with an existing
relocation plan under a 2006 bilateral agreement with the United States.
Despite Fukushima's strong opposition, Hatoyama told reporters in the evening,
''As a matter of course, I believe we have to make a decision in one way or
another at a Cabinet meeting'' before the prime minister's self-imposed
deadline of May 31 for resolving the dispute.
Hatoyama said he wants to engage in serious discussions with Fukushima to win
her understanding over the relocation plan.
While there are calls within the SDP, which is part of the coalition government
with Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan and the People's New Party, for the
party to leave the coalition, those calling for it to stay within the
government appear to be winning out.
As long as Hatoyama ensures that the decision to be made by the deadline will
not be the final one, the lawmakers said the SDP is likely to decide to be part
of the government.
Many people in Okinawa oppose Hatoyama's plan to move Futemma within their
prefecture given that he had raised their expectations by saying before last
summer's general election that he would seek to relocate the base ''at least
outside the prefecture.''
Fukushima has expressed displeasure with a joint statement to be compiled by
the governments of Japan and the United States by Friday laying out what has so
far been agreed on between the two allies over the matter.
''It's extremely strange that (the statement is expected to be issued) when no
agreement has been obtained from Okinawa or the coalition parties,'' the SDP
leader told reporters. ''It's the wrong way around.''
In vowing to resolve the matter by the end of this month, Hatoyama had said he
would seek by then an acceptance from all the major parties concerned -- the
three governing coalition parties, the United States and whoever would host
Futemma's replacement facility -- over a government relocation proposal.
But she stopped short of making clear whether her party would leave the
coalition, saying, ''We will work hard until the last minute not to add a new
burden (to Okinawa) by staking our life on it.''
Fukushima also agreed during a separate meeting with Yoichi Iha, mayor of
Ginowan, a densely populated city hosting Futemma, to seek to get the space
used by the facility returned to the Japanese side.
Futemma, home to Marine helicopters in Okinawa, has frustrated and angered
residents nearby due to its noise and risks posed to them. The return of its
land was originally agreed on by the two countries in 1996.
Kantoku Teruya, an SDP member elected in an Okinawa constituency who serves as
the party's Diet affairs chief, has suggested that the SDP leave the coalition
or that he leave the party in opposing the government's latest relocation plan.
At a news conference in Tokyo earlier in the day, Fukushima said Teruya's
position reflects his ''ardent desire not to expand bases in Okinawa,'' which
hosts about 75 percent of the land area used for U.S. military facilities in
Japan, and that it is therefore an ''important opinion.''
''I will also pay close attention to the shape in which the Japan-U.S. joint
statement comes out,'' she said.
On Tuesday, Hatoyama expressed reservations about Fukushima's visit to Okinawa,
which she said the same day would be made in her capacity as the SDP leader,
telling reporters, ''I have reservations about her going to Okinawa as a person
in the capacity of a Cabinet member.''
''But because she is also the SDP chief, going there in that role cannot be
helped,'' Hatoyama said.
Meanwhile, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano criticized Fukushima's
rejection of the government plan to relocate Futemma within the prefecture,
saying her claim that it goes against an agreement among the coalition parties
is baseless.
Under the agreement forged ahead of the launch of Hatoyama's government last
September, the three parties said they will seek to review the realignment of
U.S. forces in Japan -- a key part of which was Futemma's relocation to a new
facility in Nago -- and U.S. military bases in the country.
''Although various decisions can be made if the content (of the plan) has gone
beyond the agreement, that's groundless,'' he said at a news conference,
suggesting the plan would not necessitate the SDP's departure from the
coalition.
Economy minister Masayuki Naoshima agreed with Hirano that the plan has not
gone against the agreement, saying Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan, the
People's New Party and the SDP had not agreed to move Futemma outside the
prefecture.
''It's a little problematic to distort things and repeatedly say in public,
'That's a violation of the agreement','' he said. ''I have problems with her
going around setting things on fire.''
After her meeting with Nakaima and Iha, Fukushima was also scheduled to meet
separately with Susumu Inamine, who was elected Nago mayor in January opposing
its relocation to his city.
==Kyodo
