November 19, 2009

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on November 18 criticized Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio for stating on the previous day that he will take seriously the conclusion reached by the ministerial-level Japan-U.S. working team, which is now discussing the issue of the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station to the Henoko district of Nago City in Okinawa.

Shii in his speech at a JCP public assembly pointed out that all Japanese members of the working group, Foreign Minister Okada Katsuya and Defense Minister Kitazawa Toshimi, as well as their U.S. counterparts, are in favor of the plan to force Okinawans to accept the construction of an air base within the prefecture.

“Prime Minister Hatoyama says that the conclusion to be reached by the working group will be taken most seriously. This means that the only conclusion will be to force Okinawans to accept the relocation of the base within Okinawa Prefecture. He is wrong. The highest importance must be given to the will of Okinawans,” Shii stressed.

The JCP chair went on to say, “It is not too late for Hatoyama to end his servitude and launch diplomatic negotiations with the U.S. government if he honors the majority of Okinawans’ demand for the Futenma air base to be closed immediately without allowing any replacement base to be constructed in Okinawa.”
- Akahata, November 19, 2009