Japan Press Weekly

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2010 December 15 - 21 [OKINAWA]

Foreign Minister promises to US a new base on Okinawa

Foreign Minister Maehara Seiji on December 16 at a lecture meeting held in Tokyo revealed that he promised U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to persuade Okinawa to accept a new base at Henoko in Nago City.

Maehara stated that at a meeting with Clinton during his visit to the U.S. from December 6 to 7, he told her, “Now that the Okinawa gubernatorial election is over, what we need to do is to apologize to Okinawans, and then ask them to accept the Japan-U.S. agreement (on the new base construction in Henoko).”

According to Maehara, he mentioned at the meeting with the U.S. side that elected Okinawa Governor Nakaima Hirokazu during the election called for the removal of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station from the prefecture. However, he promised the U.S. to make continuous effort to gain Okinawa’s understanding of the need for the Futenma base transfer to Henoko, Maehara stressed in his speech in Tokyo.

However, the foreign minister denied setting a deadline for gaining Okinawa’s understanding. He explained, “I will not set a time limit before the Prime Minister’s visit to the U.S (next spring).” He added that he gained full approval from the U.S. government.
-Akahata, December 17, 2010