Hatoyama visit lost on Okinawa

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama made little progress in resolving the Futenma base relocation issue on a crucial visit to Okinawa Prefecture on Tuesday.

During his first visit to Okinawa since he became prime minister last September, Hatoyama formally made public the government's plan to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma functions to another location in the prefecture as well as to Tokunoshima island in Kagoshima Prefecture.

According to sources, the government is considering construction of a pier-type runway off Henoko in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, as well as relocating up to 1,000 of Futenma's 2,500 Marines to Tokunoshima.

The plan breaks a pledge, made by Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan during the Lower House election campaign last summer, to move the Futenma air station outside the prefecture, if not abroad.

Hatoyama told Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima on Tuesday, "Realistically, it's difficult to move everything outside the prefecture."

"Although there were talks about overseas relocation, when we contemplated the Japan-U.S. alliance and Japan's relationships with neighboring countries, we thought (pursuing the idea) would be difficult from a deterrence standpoint," Hatoyama said.

Hatoyama also said, "I have to ask people in Okinawa to share the burden, too."

Nakaima urged Hatoyama to cut down on the accident risk at Futenma and to reduce the burden on Okinawa.

The governor told Hatoyama that expectations are rising among Okinawa residents toward relocating Futenma outside the prefecture.

After meeting with Hatoyama, Nakaima told reporters: "I think there is a wide gap between what the prime minister says and what Okinawan residents think."

Though Hatoyama told reporters he did not discuss specific relocation sites with Nakaima, later in the day, the prime minister met with leaders of the Okinawa prefectural assembly and said, "I'm visiting (Okinawa) to ask for understanding and cooperation from people in Okinawa and Tokunoshima on the Futenma relocation."

This marked the first time Hatoyama publicly acknowledged that there are relocation sites being considered in Okinawa and Tokunoshima.

Hatoyama also met with Susumu Inamine, mayor of Nago, where relocation is being discussed.

Saying it is not possible to move the Futenma air base too far because of U.S. operational requirements, Hatoyama sought the city's understanding in a revised Henoko plan. But the mayor flatly rejected the idea, saying, "We cannot possibly accept Henoko as the relocation site."

On Friday, Hatoyama is expected to meet in Tokyo with the mayors of Tokunoshima's three towns, who are all against moving some of Futenma's functions to their island.

Hatoyama has set a deadline for resolving the relocation issue: the end of May.

In the afternoon, Hatoyama had a glimpse of the Futenma air station from a nearby Japanese elementary school, as well as meeting with Futenma residents there.

He explained to residents that after taking power he came to better understand the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance in light of the environment in Northeast Asia.