 Prime Minister refuses to revise SOFA Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro rejected Okinawa Governor Inamine Keiichi's call for a revision of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) which guarantees U.S. forces extraterritorial rights. In a meeting on August 25 with Governor Inamine, Koizumi only said that the government will consider improvement of practical applications of the SOFA instead of its revision. Koizumi said, "We understand the sufferings of Okinawans. We will discuss with government agencies concerned as soon as possible to find an appropriate way to deal with the matter." The governor stressed the need for a thorough investigation into the cause of the U.S. military helicopter crash and demanded that all flights of aircraft stationed at the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma base be suspended until the U.S. forces provide effective measures to prevent similar accidents. He also called for an early return of the Futenma base site. Commenting on Koizumi's remarks at the meeting, Ginowan City Mayor Iha Yoichi angrily said, "The Prime Minister seems to be unwilling to deal with the problem of Okinawa even after the major accident." "He does not understand Okinawans' demands. If he fails to take any concrete measures, it will further infuriate them," added Iha. (end) |