Ruling parties decide to shelve Futenma base issue

Japan Press Weekly

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Ruling parties decide to shelve Futenma base issue

Regarding the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa, the Hatoyama government on December 15 decided that the ruling three parties will continue discussing the issue without specifying a site for relocation.

As a new government policy on the Futenma base relocation issue, the ruling Democratic, Social Democratic, and People’s New parties agreed to maintain their discussions, allocate funds in the fiscal 2010 budget for a new U.S. base construction in Nago City in Okinawa, and continue conducting an environmental impact assessment concerning a new base construction. But they couldn’t reach a decision on a time limit for finalizing the relocation site.

Prime Minister Hatoyama stated, “I will seek a relocation site, not in Henoko, with keeping Okinawans opinions in mind. But I understand that it will be hard finding another site for relocation. I may need more than a few months before reaching a decision.”

Unconditional removal is the only way to resolve the issue

Asked by reporters about the new government policy on the Futenma base issue, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on December 15 made the following comments:

The government says it will seek a new relocation site. But such a proposal is useless in fundamentally addressing the issue of reducing burdens on people living near the base. Wherever the Futenma base will be relocated to within Okinawa or even outside of Okinawa, it will impose heavy burdens on local residents. Seeking a new place to relocate is the wrong way to address the issue.

Yet, the government still maintains the plan to construct a new U.S. base in the Henoko district of Nago City. So, we can not even consider ending our struggles against the new base construction.

As I said in the meeting with Prime Minister Hatoyama on December 14, the most realistic way to resolve the issue is to negotiate with the U.S., demanding the unconditional removal of the Futenma base. This is the only rational approach to take.

- Akahata, December 16, 2009