U.S. seeks additional cost burden for Marines relocation from Japan

TOKYO, July 4 Kyodo -
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has asked Tokyo to shoulder additional
costs to transfer about 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam, diplomatic
sources from the two countries said Saturday.
The increased amount is estimated to be at least tens of billions of yen, with
the U.S. side claiming that expenses to develop infrastructure, such as
facilities for electricity as well as water and sewerage, will cost more than
expected, according to the sources.
Japan is planning to respond to the request, which Gates made in a letter sent
in mid-June, after the July 11 House of Councillors election, according to the
sources.
The transfer of the Marines to Guam, together with the relocation of the
Futenma Air Station in Okinawa, was agreed on in 2006 to be completed in 2014,
although a delay in the schedule is expected.
The 2006 agreement said total costs for the transfer to Guam will be $10.27
billion, or around 900 billion yen, of which Japan will shoulder some $6.09
billion.
It will inevitably draw criticism from opposition lawmakers and other quarters
if the government accepts the increase in the cost burden.
Before submitting the letter, Gates made the request during talks with his
Japanese counterpart, Toshimi Kitazawa, in Singapore on June 5. But Kitazawa
declined to respond directly at that time as it was shortly after the abrupt
resignation of Yukio Hatoyama as prime minister.
==Kyodo