The government put off a decision Dec. 15 to pick a possible site for relocating a U.S. military airfield in Okinawa until next year, possibly with an eye to seeking to amend a related accord reached between Japan and the United States in 2006.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano explains to reporters about the government's decision on Futenma on Dec. 15. KYODO PHOTO

Putting the decision on hold is part of the policy Tokyo adopted Dec. 15 for dealing with the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station and is likely to further frustrate the United States, which has called on Japan to swiftly abide by the existing plan.

No deadline was set for the relocation site to be decided, according to ruling party officials.

But apparently out of consideration to the United States, the government will earmark expenses related to the existing relocation plan in the fiscal 2010 budget.

The policy, finalized during a meeting of senior officials of the three ruling coalition parties, also includes setting up a working-level consultation body among them to discuss the issue and consider where to relocate the Futenma facility, including the site in Okinawa agreed on in the bilateral agreement.

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told reporters earlier in the morning that Japan will swiftly convey its policy to the United States once it is decided.

The Futenma relocation issue has emerged as a major sticking point between Japan and the United States since the Democratic Party of Japan launched a coalition government in September with a pledge to move toward re-examining the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan.