PM Hatoyama says different things on different days about Futenma base

Japan Press Weekly

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PM Hatoyama says different things on different days about Futenma base

On the issue of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa, a ministerial working group that Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio and U.S. President Barack Obama agreed to set up has stalled. Talks between the two governments on the Japan-U.S. alliance have been put on the backburner. In the meantime, Prime Minister Hatotama says different things on different occasions about the Futenma base issue. Let’s take a look back on his frequently changing remarks.

August 17

The most desirable way (to resolve this issue) is to move the Futenma base out of Japan. At the very least, it is expected that it will be relocated somewhere outside Okinawa.

October 7

What our manifesto called for in the first place is a kind of promise, so I believe that we shouldn’t easily change it, but I don’t deny the possibility that the promise could change over time.

October 16

I would have to draw a conclusion sometime (May or June) between the Nago mayoral election (February) and the Okinawa gubernatorial election (November) next year.

November 14

If everything is on the premise of Japan-U.S. agreements, there would be no need to launch a working group.

November 21

It’s still too early to form a conclusion by the end of this year.

December 7

I want to explain to President Obama our government’s policy (at a summit meeting that Hatoyama wanted to have on the last day of COP15) to gain U.S. understanding.

December 10

I believe that it’s not very easy to hold a summit meeting with the U.S. president during the COP15. We are not suggesting one at this time.

- Akahata, December 11, 2009