Okada stresses need to stick to Japan-U.S. accord on Futenma base+

NAHA, Japan, Jan. 9 Kyodo -
Ruling Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Katsuya Okada stressed on
Sunday the need for Japan to stick to an accord with the United States to
relocate a U.S. military base in Okinawa within the southern island prefecture.
During his first visit to Okinawa since taking the current post, Okada made the
comments at a meeting with citizens in the prefecture's capital city Naha.
Okada was explaining the Japanese government's stance of seeking the transfer
of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa to the Henoko area in
Nago based on a bilateral accord reached last May to move the U.S. base within
the prefecture.
Opposition in Okinawa, which hosts the bulk of U.S. military bases in Japan,
remains strong against relocating the Futenma base from a crowded residential
area in Ginowan to a less densely populated coastal area in Nago, Okinawa, in
line with the accord.
''To eliminate Futenma's dangerousness, the Japan-U.S. accord was the only
way,'' said Okada, who tackled the issue as foreign minister until last
September. ''I feel very sorry but it was the only answer.''
Meanwhile, Shokichi Kina, head of the Okinawa chapter of the DPJ, said at a
conference of the local chapter, which was attended by Okada, ''Given the
current situation, it is impossible to relocate (the Futenma base) to Henoko.''
Kina was referring to the fact that Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima, who is
seeking the transfer of the Futenma base from his prefecture, took office for
his second term last December.
''The DPJ should fully face the reality,'' Kina said.
Okada, who is on a two-day trip to the prefecture, is scheduled to meet with
Ginowan Mayor Takeshi Asato on Monday.
==Kyodo
2011-01-10 00:19:44