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Japanese PM apologizes over US base on
Okinawa
AP, TOKYO
Monday, May 24, 2010, Page 1
Japan's embattled prime minister apologized yesterday to residents of Okinawa
for ditching his campaign promise to move a US military base off the island, a
concession likely to further erode his grip on power.
During his party's campaign for last year's elections that swept him to power,
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama had promised to relocate US Marine Corps¡¦
Futenma Air Station off Okinawa, perhaps even out of Japan.
However, he has recently conceded the government will be going back to an
earlier plan, or a slightly modified version of that plan, created by the former
governing party: Building another base on Okinawa, but in a coastal area less
crowded than the residential sector where Futenma is now located.
¡§The relocation of Futenma will have to stay in Okinawa,¡¨ Hatoyama said in a
meeting with Okinawa prefectural chief Hirokazu Nakaima. ¡§I apologize from the
bottom of my heart for the confusion that I have caused the people of Okinawa in
not being able to keep my promise.¡¨
Many local leaders, including Nakaima, are opposed to keeping the military base
on the island.
¡§I must tell you that your decision is extremely regrettable and very difficult
to accept,¡¨ Nakaima said.
Residents have long complained about the noise, jet-crash dangers and worries
about crime that come from housing more than half of the 47,000 US troops in
Japan, stationed under the bilateral defense alliance.
Washington has insisted Japan keep its side of the deal.
Hatoyama's visit to Okinawa's prefectural office was met with angry protesters,
many of them holding big signs with the Japanese character for anger plastered
across it.
Later in the day, Hatoyama met local leaders from Nago in northern Okinawa,
where the new base is being planned. Hatoyama apologized again and pleaded for
their understanding.
¡§We cannot accept what is a clear betrayal of the desires and feelings of the
people of Nago,¡¨ Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine told Hatoyama. ¡§We don¡¦t need a new
base.¡¨
Hatoyama has seen his popularity ratings plunge in recent months as voters are
increasingly disenchanted with his failure to act on a number of campaign
promises, including the Futenma issue as well as toll-free highways and cash
payments for babies.
His biggest political ally, Ichiro Ozawa, the head of Hatoyama¡¦s Democratic
Party, has been the target of allegations of campaign fund abuse. Ozawa has
denied any wrongdoing and Japanese prosecutors have repeatedly said he will not
face charges.
Hatoyama, nicknamed ¡§space alien¡¨ by the Japanese public, had basked in nearly
unanimous popularity at the start of his term, but is now being lambasted even
for his taste in gaudy shirts, including a checkered one he wore to a recent
party. For his Okinawa trip, he wore a pale blue shirt without a tie.
The failure to appease Okinawans is likely to be Hatoyama's biggest problem as
Japan heads into nationwide elections, which must be held sometime around July.
The plan for Futenma's relocation, worked out between Japan and the US, was
scheduled to be formally announced by Hatoyama on Friday, according to Japanese
media reports.
The new plan is still vague on details, but is clear that Henoko, the coastal
area that was chosen in the 2006 original plan, will house the new base, the
reports say.
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