ID :
166560
Tue, 03/08/2011 - 14:41
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Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/166560
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Japan voices regret over U.S. official's alleged comments
TOKYO, March 8 Kyodo - Japan on Tuesday expressed regret to the United States over alleged comments by a U.S. senior diplomat disparaging the people of Okinawa, and asked the United States to deal with the matter appropriately.
''If such comments are indeed true, it is regrettable,'' Prime Minister Naoto Kan told reporters after Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano held telephone talks with U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos.
Their 15-minute telephone talks came in the wake of the Okinawa prefectural assembly's unanimous adoption of a resolution seeking a retraction and apology.
The anger in Japan's southern island prefecture, which hosts the bulk of U.S. forces in Japan, stems from remarks reportedly made by Kevin Maher, head of the Japanese affairs office at the U.S. State Department, who described local residents as ''masters of manipulation and extortion'' in reference to their negotiations with the central government.
Edano, who is temporarily doubling as foreign minister following the resignation of Seiji Maehara on Sunday, said at a news conference he told Roos that Maher's comments, if true, were ''very inappropriate'' for someone in his capacity regardless of whether they were on or off the record, and said they were ''hardly acceptable'' and had hurt the feelings of the people of Okinawa and Japan.
Maher has told Kyodo News that his briefing was an off-the-record event and the account made available to Kyodo News was ''neither accurate nor complete.'' He spoke in Washington on Dec. 3 at the request of American University to a group of 14 students.
The chief Cabinet secretary also said he had asked the U.S. envoy to implement measures ''taking into account the sentiments of Okinawa.''
According to a written account of the lecture given by Maher, compiled by some students, he said, ''Consensus building is important in Japanese culture. While the Japanese would call this 'consensus,' they mean 'extortion' and use this culture of consensus as a means of extortion.''
Maher, former consul general at the consulate general in Okinawa, is said to have commented on his experience of negotiating with Japan over the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within the prefecture, which is fiercely opposed by local people.
Roos told Edano he regrets that such remarks were reported, while stressing they were not reflective of the U.S. government's position.
Roos, who initiated the telephone talks, was also quoted by Edano as saying he will work in good faith to overcome the situation that has arisen as a result of the reported remarks.
There was no discussion regarding the veracity of the reported comments, Edano said, adding that he believes the United States will take steps to deal with the issue in consideration of the feelings of people in Okinawa.
Amid the furor over the alleged comments, Maher's planned visit to Tokyo to attend high-level talks on Thursday to discuss deepening bilateral ties was cancelled, government sources said.
The prefectural resolution said Maher's remarks were unacceptable as they disregarded the feelings of the people of Okinawa, and ridiculed and insulted local residents.
The Naha city assembly adopted a similar resolution the same day.
Zenshin Takamine, chairman of the prefectural assembly, and other assembly representatives are expected to visit the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo to submit a letter of protest, possibly this week.
''If such comments are indeed true, it is regrettable,'' Prime Minister Naoto Kan told reporters after Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano held telephone talks with U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos.
Their 15-minute telephone talks came in the wake of the Okinawa prefectural assembly's unanimous adoption of a resolution seeking a retraction and apology.
The anger in Japan's southern island prefecture, which hosts the bulk of U.S. forces in Japan, stems from remarks reportedly made by Kevin Maher, head of the Japanese affairs office at the U.S. State Department, who described local residents as ''masters of manipulation and extortion'' in reference to their negotiations with the central government.
Edano, who is temporarily doubling as foreign minister following the resignation of Seiji Maehara on Sunday, said at a news conference he told Roos that Maher's comments, if true, were ''very inappropriate'' for someone in his capacity regardless of whether they were on or off the record, and said they were ''hardly acceptable'' and had hurt the feelings of the people of Okinawa and Japan.
Maher has told Kyodo News that his briefing was an off-the-record event and the account made available to Kyodo News was ''neither accurate nor complete.'' He spoke in Washington on Dec. 3 at the request of American University to a group of 14 students.
The chief Cabinet secretary also said he had asked the U.S. envoy to implement measures ''taking into account the sentiments of Okinawa.''
According to a written account of the lecture given by Maher, compiled by some students, he said, ''Consensus building is important in Japanese culture. While the Japanese would call this 'consensus,' they mean 'extortion' and use this culture of consensus as a means of extortion.''
Maher, former consul general at the consulate general in Okinawa, is said to have commented on his experience of negotiating with Japan over the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within the prefecture, which is fiercely opposed by local people.
Roos told Edano he regrets that such remarks were reported, while stressing they were not reflective of the U.S. government's position.
Roos, who initiated the telephone talks, was also quoted by Edano as saying he will work in good faith to overcome the situation that has arisen as a result of the reported remarks.
There was no discussion regarding the veracity of the reported comments, Edano said, adding that he believes the United States will take steps to deal with the issue in consideration of the feelings of people in Okinawa.
Amid the furor over the alleged comments, Maher's planned visit to Tokyo to attend high-level talks on Thursday to discuss deepening bilateral ties was cancelled, government sources said.
The prefectural resolution said Maher's remarks were unacceptable as they disregarded the feelings of the people of Okinawa, and ridiculed and insulted local residents.
The Naha city assembly adopted a similar resolution the same day.
Zenshin Takamine, chairman of the prefectural assembly, and other assembly representatives are expected to visit the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo to submit a letter of protest, possibly this week.
