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UPDATE: Saturday, June 12, 2010      The Japan Times Weekly    2009年10月31日号 (バックナンバー)
 
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Quick decision on Futenma air facility's transfer needs to be made
(From The Japan Times Oct. 23 issue)

 


要約
普天間基地移設を先送りするな

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates met with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa in Tokyo on Oct. 21. The two sides failed to resolve differences over the relocation of a U.S. military base on Okinawa Island. Under a 2006 bilateral agreement, the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in the urban area of Ginowan (southern part of the island) would move to the shore area of Camp Schwab, in Nago (northeastern part of the island).

Mr. Gates reiterated that the present plan is the only feasible one, although he hinted that the United States might accept an alternative — floated by the Okinawa Prefectural Government — to move the proposed site at Camp Schwab about 50 meters toward the sea. He also stressed that unless the Futenma air facility is moved to Camp Schwab, the plan to move some 8,000 U.S. Marines and their dependents from Okinawa to Guam will not go ahead. The Japanese side is apparently trying to postpone a final decision on the Futenma air facility's transfer. Referring to the fact that the four single-seat constituencies in Okinawa Prefecture in the Aug. 30 Lower House election elected candidates who are against the plan to move the Futenma facility to another part of Okinawa Prefecture, Mr. Okada said Japan cannot make a quick decision on the matter.

Mr. Hatoyama hinted that he will make a final decision by around June 2010 — after the Nago mayoral election in January that year. Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima wants the transfer issue resolved sooner. The government should start looking for a location that will satisfy the Okinawan people and the Unied States. Merely postponing the decision will not be in Japan's interest.

Mr. Okada also proposed that Japan and the United States discuss a "no-first-use" policy for nuclear weapons. Mr. Gates stressed the importance of the United States having a flexible nuclear deterrence policy, although U.S. President Barack Obama has urged the creation of a world without nuclear weapons. Japan needs to carefully handle the no-first-use issue as it could disrupt security cooperation with the United States.

The Japan Times Weekly: Oct. 31, 2009
(C) All rights reserved
 

ゲーツ米国防長官は鳩山首相、岡田外相、北沢防衛相と会談したが、沖縄の米軍基地移設問題で合意にはいたらなかった。両政府は2006年、宜野湾市の米海兵隊普天間飛行場を名護市辺野古に移設することで合意している。

長官は現行案が唯一の道だと述べたが、県側からの沖合移動案を容認する意向も示し、辺野古への移設がなければ、海兵隊のグアム移転もないと強調した。外相は衆院選で示された沖縄の民意に触れ、短期間での結論は困難だと述べた。仲井間知事は早期の方針決定を望んでいる。政府は県民と米国双方を満足させる移設先を探らなければならない。

核の先制不使用についての日米協議を望む外相に対し長官は、米国は核なき世界を目指すが、抑止の柔軟性は必要だと強調した。この件では日本は慎重に行動すべきだ。

The Japan Times

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