Japan Press Weekly

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2017 July 5 - 11 [POLITICS]

DM Inada hints at impossibility of return of Futenma base even after completion of new base in Henoko

“This did not come up for discussion at all (with the central government),” Okinawa Governor Onaga Takeshi said angrily in response to a question from a Japanese Communist Party assemblyman regarding the return of the Futenma base.

On July 5 at a session of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly, JCP Toguchi Osamu asked Governor Onaga what he thinks about the remark made by Defense Minister Inada Tomomi implying that Okinawa may not get the Futenma base site (Ginowan City) back from the U.S. even after completion of the new base construction in Henoko (Nago City).

DM Inada on June 15 repeatedly responded to Diet questions by stating, “If negotiations with the U.S. do not go smoothly, the return of the Futenma Air Station site will be impossible even after the state-of-the-art U.S. base is constructed in Henoko (as replacement for the Futenma base).”

To the question from JCP Toguchi, Governor Onaga answered, “At the time of the approval request for Henoko reclamation work, this did not come up for discussion at all. I now wonder if Japan really is a law-governed country.”

Jahana Kiichiro, the chief spokesman for the governor’s office, also expressed his displeasure with the implication of Inada’s remark though the national government had kept claiming that the Futenma base relocation to Henoko is the only option. Jahana said, “Tokyo should explain this point clearly to Okinawans.”