thedrifter
02-13-06, 07:44 AM
[February 13, 2006]
U.S. envoy indicates flexibility over U.S. Marines relocation plan+
(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)
NAHA, Japan, Feb. 13_(Kyodo) _ U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer indicated flexibility on Monday over a Japan-U.S. plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture to another part of the prefecture.
Schieffer said in a speech in Okinawa that if the people of Okinawa are opposed to the plan and if they have suggestions, "we have duties to listen to" them.
If a better idea comes up, it may be possible to adopt it, he added.
Schieffer, however, ruled out the possibility that the base would be moved out of the prefecture.
Yoshikazu Shimabukuro, mayor of Okinawa's Nago City, has called for a revision of the plan to relocate the base in Ginowan to his city. Shimabukuro, who took office as Nago mayor last week, has also said he is ready to launch talks with Japan's central government if the current plan is amended.
The current plan calls for moving the Futemma base to Nago using some land of the Marines' Camp Schwab in the city and reclaiming the remainder from the sea.
The plan is included in an interim report that Japan and the United States compiled last October for the realignment of the U.S. military presence in Japan.
The report also calls for the relocation of 7,000 U.S. Marine Corps troops out of Okinawa, which is one of the main pillars of a broad package of agreements on the realignment.
The two countries are working to draw up implementation plans by March.
Earlier in the day, Schieffer met with Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine to exchange views on the realignment.
Inamine rejected Futemma's relocation plan, but appreciated some plans, including the relocation of Marine troops, prefectural government officials said.
Ellie
U.S. envoy indicates flexibility over U.S. Marines relocation plan+
(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)
NAHA, Japan, Feb. 13_(Kyodo) _ U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer indicated flexibility on Monday over a Japan-U.S. plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture to another part of the prefecture.
Schieffer said in a speech in Okinawa that if the people of Okinawa are opposed to the plan and if they have suggestions, "we have duties to listen to" them.
If a better idea comes up, it may be possible to adopt it, he added.
Schieffer, however, ruled out the possibility that the base would be moved out of the prefecture.
Yoshikazu Shimabukuro, mayor of Okinawa's Nago City, has called for a revision of the plan to relocate the base in Ginowan to his city. Shimabukuro, who took office as Nago mayor last week, has also said he is ready to launch talks with Japan's central government if the current plan is amended.
The current plan calls for moving the Futemma base to Nago using some land of the Marines' Camp Schwab in the city and reclaiming the remainder from the sea.
The plan is included in an interim report that Japan and the United States compiled last October for the realignment of the U.S. military presence in Japan.
The report also calls for the relocation of 7,000 U.S. Marine Corps troops out of Okinawa, which is one of the main pillars of a broad package of agreements on the realignment.
The two countries are working to draw up implementation plans by March.
Earlier in the day, Schieffer met with Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine to exchange views on the realignment.
Inamine rejected Futemma's relocation plan, but appreciated some plans, including the relocation of Marine troops, prefectural government officials said.
Ellie