Okinawa governer opposes US military relocation plan
Okinawa’s governor today told Japan’s central government that he rejects a plan to build a US heliport on the southern island as part of a realignment of the American military presence there.
The heliport plan was struck last week as part of an agreement to close a widely opposed Marine Corps air station in a densely populated part of Okinawa and move its functions to an existing base on the island state.
Defence Facilities Administration Agency chief Iwao Kitahara met with Okinawa Governor Keiichi Inamine today to explain the plan, an agency official said.
Kyodo News service said Inamine rejected the plan, saying many Okinawans wanted the total removal of the air station.
The agency official said he could not immediately confirm details of the Kyodo report, but acknowledged that the talks were tough.
“We received very difficult opinions and suggestions,” the official quoted Kitahara as telling reporters. “We’ll continue our effort to show sincerity and gain understanding.”
Kitahara visited Okinawa after Japan and the United States reached a broad agreement over the weekend on strengthening military co-operation, reducing the number of US Marines in Okinawa and giving Tokyo greater responsibility for security in the Pacific.
Under the accord, 7,000 US Marines will leave strategically-located Okinawa for the US Pacific territory of Guam, a move which is expected to take six years. It says Japan, recognising the strong desire of Okinawa residents for a rapid reduction of US forces, will work with the US government to examine how it can help facilitate the move to Guam.
There are currently 14,460 Marines in Japan, the largest Marine contingent based overseas. Nearly all are located on Okinawa.
But Inamine balked at a plan to relocate the Futenma Marine Corps Air Station in the crowded southern part of Okinawa to Camp Schwab in the north, saying that many Okinawans want the air station to be totally removed, citing safety and environmental concerns, Kyodo said.
Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost island state about 1,000 miles south-west of Tokyo, shoulders nearly half of about 50,000 US servicemen in Japan.
Many Okinawans oppose any new US military construction on the island.
Yesterday, activists on Okinawa staged a 5,000-strong rally to protest against crime, noise and pollution associated with the Marine bases, and to demand that more US troops be moved out of Japan than the 7,000 Marines envisioned in the plan.
