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Iwakuni citizens confront defense minister over U.S. military relocation

The Democratic Party of Japan on February 20 organized a dialogue forum between residents of Iwakuni City of Yamaguchi Prefecture and Defense Minister Kitazawa Toshimi in the city, with the attendance of about 900 citizens.

The forum entitled gU.S. military relocation and Iwakunih was held to soothe the ill feelings among the citizens at the turnabout of the DPJ from promising in its manifesto to review the U.S. military relocation plan to declaring to promote the plan according to the roadmap agreed upon by Japan and the United States.

Arguing that gJapanfs security should be guaranteed by all costsh, the defense minister called for citizensf understanding about the need to promote the U.S. military relocation plan under the Japan-U.S. military alliance.

Ex-Iwakuni Mayor Ihara Katsusuke asked the minister how he feels about residents objecting to the government plan to purchase land to build U.S. military housing in the cityfs Atagoyama area. Kitazawa gave an evasive answer, saying, gThe Defense Ministry has never stated that it wants new U.S. military housing units built.h

A head of a neighborhood association asked the minister about the possibility of the U.S. military relocation plan being reviewed. Kitazawa stressed the government intention to proceed with the plan, saying gA review of the plan would negate all the assumptions of the Japan-U.S. agreement.h

The government has allocated a budget for the FY2010 to fund the transfer of U.S. aircraft carrier-based aircraft units from Atsugi Base (Kanagawa) to U.S. Marines Iwakuni Base (Yamaguchi). This goes against the Hatoyama Cabinetfs agreement when forming the coalition with the Social Democratic Party and the Peoplefs New Party that a review should be made on the U.S. relocation plan including the transfer of carrier-based aircraft units. However, the government in its written parliamentary reply to the Japanese Communist Party revealed its policy of transferring the aircraft units as planned.

- Akahata, February 15, 18, and 22


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