Okinawans want unconditional removal of Futenma base: JCP Kasai

Japan Press Weekly

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Okinawans want unconditional removal of Futenma base: JCP Kasai

Japanese Communist Party representative Kasai Akira at the Lower House Budget Committee meeting on November 4 demanded that Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio negotiate with the United States to unconditionally close the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station and remove it from Japan, not to relocate it within Okinawa.

Kasai said, “You yourself came to power after making a public promise to move the Futenma base out of Okinawa or even out of Japan. Despite this public pledge, it is very irresponsible that you do not dispute the statements made by Foreign Minister Okada Katsuya and Defense Minister Kitazawa Toshimi when they publicly contradicted the promise you made to the public.”

As for Okada’s idea to integrate the Futenma base into the Kadena base, Hatoyama stated, “His idea is within the scope of our ‘Manifesto’.”

Meanwhile, Okada said, “Remarks during the election campaign are not necessarily the same as what the ‘Manifesto’ states,” and went on to say, “The Democratic Party of Japan believes that the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty is necessary. Your party has a different opinion from our party regarding the Futenma base issue.”

Citing a unanimous resolution adopted by the Kadena Town Assembly in protest against Okada’s idea , Kasai said, “It’s not only our party’s opinion but also Okinawans’ demand.”

Kasai reminded Okada that he made a campaign pledge during the 2005 general election as the DPJ president “to make efforts to relocate the Futenma base out of Okinawa or out of Japan.”

Okada curtly replied, “The situation has changed.”

- Akahata, November 5, 2009