Japanese Residents Reject U.S. Military Bases

TOKYO, The head of three cities in one region of the island of Japan reportedly informed U.S. military bases, Wednesday (15/4/2010) they will write a letter to President Barack Obama to say their rejection of government plans. Center of the dispute is about their government’s decision to review the agreement in 2006, to move the Marine Corps Air Base in Funtenma, Okinawa, from residential areas to the coast is more isolated, on the island.

Media reported that the Japanese government plans to move the base to Tokunoshima, an island in Kagoshima prefecture, in northern Okinawa. The government did not confirm those reports, but Takunoshima residents have voiced opposition to the plan, with about 4000 people to do demonstrations to protest the plan last month.

“All three mayors Tokunoshima, which if added together to reach approximately 27,000 residents, is now preparing a letter to be sent to the President of the United States, Barack Obama,” said one of the three mayor, Akira Okubo. The draft letter said: “We, all inhabitants of the island, protesting against the relocation of an air base to Tokunoshima. Subtropical island and we are still rich with the natural environment,” wrote the mayor.

“We still love to live in this beautiful Tokunoshima, as now, and for future generations.” The island is part of the Amami Islands, which is considered important strategically positioned as the place closest to North Korea and the Taiwan Strait – both are potentially vulnerable who need the U.S. military deployment.

Third mayor is also preparing another protest, namely the demonstration on Sunday, which they said would involve about 10,000 residents. “We will also send photos of the demonstration was to President Obama,” said Okubo. Prime Minister of Japan, Yukio Hatoyama, has been struggling for months to find a solution that will satisfy the people of Okinawa island, part of Japan’s southernmost prefecture, and demands that U.S. security, the importance of allies.

Hatoyama said in Washington, he had promised Obama will solve the dispute over the base in late May, despite the fact that the people of Okinawa has long been angered by the presence of many U.S. military.

Japanese media speculate, Hatoyama may resign if he failed to resolve the dispute, before the time-limit which he set out. Obama’s government insisted on the relocation plan in 2006, but has also promised to consider a counter proposal. However, some U.S. acting privately voiced exasperation at what they regard as the Japanese government indecision.

the United States and Japan , American mitarily base have been suspended

Katsuya Okada

TOKYO Talks on the relocation of a major American mitarily base have been suspended, deepening a deadlock between the United States and Japan, Japanese media reported Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said a high-level working group convened to discuss the move has been suspended and no date for a restart had been set, the Kyodo news agency reported.”We are now waiting to see whether we should hold the discussions again,” Okada said without elaborating. A Foreign Ministry spokesman declined to comment.

The relocation of the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, a major U.S. base on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, is at the center of a dispute between Tokyo and Washington. Japan and the United States agreed in 2006 to relocate the base to a site farther north. But Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has put the deal on hold and indicated the relocation site could be changed.

The working group involving Okada, Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and U.S. Ambassador John Roos was set up in early November. It has met twice. Kyodo said talks on the future of the base made little progress.

Okada suggested last weekend a decision on whether to abide by the 2006 pact may not be made by the end of the year, as Washington had hoped.

Many Okinawans want the base closed and its functions moved off the island altogether. They say it poses a threat to the safety of the people who live near it, and have complained of base-related crime and environmental issues.

Hatoyama, who took office in September, has expressed support for that position, although Japan’s previous government agreed with the United States that a new facility would be built on Okinawa.The United States has about 47,000 troops stationed in Japan under a mutual security pact. Most of bases are on Okinawa.

To lighten Okinawa’s load, Tokyo and Washington have agreed to move about 8,000 Marines from Okinawa to the U.S. territory of Guam by 2014, but the U.S. military says that plan cannot move forward until Futenma’s replacement facility is finalized.