Clinton eyes viable Futenma solution

With the clock ticking on Futenma, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a stopover in Tokyo on Friday to add momentum to resolving the issue that has dogged bilateral relations.

"We hope to set the broad direction (for resolving the relocation issue with Washington) and then work to gain the understanding of the Okinawa people," Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada told a joint news conference after talks that lasted about one hour.

They also discussed formulating a coordinated response to the March 26 sinking of the South Korean frigate Cheonan by a North Korean torpedo and Iran's nuclear program.

On the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture, Clinton stressed that both sides were working to reach "an arrangement that is operationally viable and politically sustainable."

"We have committed to redoubling our efforts to meet the (May 31) deadline, which has been announced by the Japanese government," Clinton said, adding she was confident the two sides could resolve the issue.

Clinton also met with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama who told her that he hoped to "strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance." She left Friday evening for Shanghai.

Clinton said North Korea's "unprovoked attack" against the Cheonan underscored the importance of U.S. alliance with Japan in maintaining regional stability.

Both sides agreed to work closely with South Korea in drafting a coordinated response to the underwater explosion caused by a North Korean torpedo that left 46 sailors dead or missing.

"This will not be and cannot be 'business as usual.' There must be an international response," Clinton said, adding that she will raise the issue when she arrives in Beijing on Monday and later in Seoul.

Hatoyama and Clinton also agreed that Iran's nuclear development program warranted a unified message of condemnation from the international community.