Everyone knows Hatoyama promised to move Futenma base out of Japan

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Everyone knows Hatoyama promised to move Futenma base out of Japan
Akahata editorial (excerpts)

Okinawans are infuriated by Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio’s ambivalence about implementing the statement he made during the House of Representatives general election campaign that “moving the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station out of the prefecture or even out of the country is the preferable option.”

He recently expressed his intention to wait for the joint Japan-U.S. ministerial-level working group to complete an examination of the Futenma-related relocation issue. However, U.S. President Barack Obama has stated that this working group is tasked to implement the Japan-U.S. agreement to construct a new U.S. military base in Okinawa.

Why is Hatoyama reluctant to negotiate this issue with the United States as he promised in the general election? Why is he reluctant to order Foreign Minister Okada Katsuya and Defense Minister Kitazawa Toshimi to stop pushing ahead with the present plan to move the Futenma base functions to another location in Okinawa?

If Hatoyama sticks to the May 2006 Japan-U.S. agreement on the realignment of the U.S. forces in Japan, it will mean accepting the plan to construct another U.S. air base in Okinawa, which goes against Okinawans’ wishes.

The U.S. Futenma base is located in central Ginowan City where 90,000 people live. It is the most dangerous overseas U.S. military base in regard to the safety of nearby residents. Okinawans want it shut down immediately.

If Hatoyama intends to resolve this issue by obtaining Okinawans’ support, the only viable option is for Prime Minister Hatoyama to break away from the idea of relocating the base within the prefecture.

It is an internationally acknowledged matter of course that a change in government is followed by changes in policies. Consequently, Japan’s new government is expected to negotiate with the United States to promote the demand of Okinawans to have the Futenma base withdrawn.

In an interview with Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) on November 9, Obama said it was "perfectly appropriate" for the new Japanese government to review issues regarding the realignment of U.S. armed forces in Japan.

If Obama believes so, he must agree to review the existing bilateral agreement concerning the relocation instead of trying to force Japan to accept it.

If Hatoyama wants to engage with the United States on an equal footing, he should stop giving the bilateral military alliance priority and start negotiations with the United States without delay by fully respecting the determination of Okinawans to have the base removed from the islands.

- Akahata, December 2, 2009