Government to discuss return of U.S. base land in Yokohama

Japan's government on January 22 decided to start talks with the U.S. Forces in Japan on a possible return of the land currently occupied by four U.S. military facilities in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Akahata on January 24 warned that the United States might demand that Japan provide them with an alternative installation as it has requested Japan to construct new housing in exchange for a return of parts of the land used by the four U.S. facilities.

The U.S. military facilities the two governments will discuss are the Kamiseya Communication Site, the Fukaya Communication Site, the Negishi Dependent Housing Area, and the Tomioka Storage Area. Yokohama City has been requesting that the land used by these U.S. facilities be returned to Japan, arguing that the land used by the U.S. forces obstruct the city's urban development plan.

Last July, 151 Yokohama residents filed a suit calling on the mayor to request the U.S. Forces to return the city's land occupied by the U.S. Kamiseya Communication Site. Also, a man who owns a portion of the land used as the Kamiseya base has brought a case to court demanding that the U.S. and Japanese governments return the land to him.

Japanese Communist Party Diet members have been urging the government to demand that the United States return land that are occupied by the U.S. forces but not in use. (end)