Nago mayor rejects new Futenma relocation plan
2010/02/14 17:18(JST)
The mayor of Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, has again indicated that he will reject any proposal to relocate the US Futenma Marine Corps Air Station to the city.
Mayor Susumu Inamine was responding to a new proposal by a junior coalition partner, the People's New Party, to build a helicopter runway at the US Camp Schwab in Nago.
The party will present the idea to a government panel on Wednesday along with another proposal to merge Futenma with the US Kadena Air Base, also in Okinawa.
Inamine told NHK that he has consistently opposed building a new military facility anywhere in Nago.
The Nago mayor urged the government to respect the opinions of the people who elected him last month.
He plans to travel to Tokyo this week to ask government officials to give up the idea of relocating the air station to Nago.
Japan and the United States agreed in 2006 to build a runway in a coastal area of Camp Schwab as an alternative to Futenma.
But the current government that took power last year is considering other options, including relocating the air station outside Okinawa.
Showing posts with label Okinawa Prefecture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Okinawa Prefecture. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Japan’s dilly-dally, Guam’s opportunity
Japan’s dilly-dally, Guam’s opportunity
Wednesday, 27 January 2010 05:32
by Therese Hart | Variety News Staff
WITH the recent declaration made by Nago Okinawa Prefecure mayor-elect Susumu Inamine about his opposition to having U.S. bases in Okinawa, Guam gets the opportunity to be included in the new discussions between Japan and the United States regarding Marines’ relocation plan, Sen. Judith Guthretz said yesterday.
The chair of the legislative committee on military buildup explained that the election of anti-U.S. base candidate Inamine earlier this month has virtually ended the possibility of relocating the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, as previously agreed upon in a bilateral accord between the U.S. and Japan.
“This change in leadership in Okinawa is an opportunity for the United States to finally address the concerns of the island community with regard to the impending military buildup,” Guthertz said.
Possible voiding
She added that the dynamics of Japan’s current political landscape gives credence to the probability of a delay or nullification of the accord and the proposed relocation of Marines to Guam because of the movement of the Futenma Marine contingent to Nago.
Japan Prime Minister Hatoyama has seemingly acquiesced to Inamine’s view stating that “The country will start from scratch on this issue and take responsibility.”
Moreover, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has stated that without the move from Futenma there will be no move to Guam.
Guthertz explained that it just makes sense to include the concerns of the people of Guam who will absorb the entirety of the buildup impact. During the initial discussion on the proposed buildup Guam was totally ignored, she said.
Workable approach
Guthertz explained that this is not a workable approach and noted that this sentiment is reflected in the current fallout of support for the buildup as the island citizenry reacts to the draft environment impact statement.
“It is becoming more and more apparent among the people of Guam that the proposed buildup is for too many too soon, and is coming too quickly,” said Guthertz. “In Guam, the public sentiment for the buildup is rapidly shifting from positive to negative as the details in the [draft study] are being understood.
Guthertz offers an alternative to the U.S. government via a comment paper in response to the draft study. She will dub her paper, “Stretching and Spreading the Buildup,” over a over a more manageable and acceptable timeframe.
Guthertz cited a prior commitment made by then-Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney in 1990 pledging that the Pentagon would conduct prior consultations with the government of Guam regarding any desired change in the military footprint in Guam.
The Pentagon is breaking that solemn promise, she said. “No discussions were held with the Government of Guam prior to the determination of the relocation of Marines, and Guam had no input on the size or speed of the buildup.”
Attention
“We have never been told who and what determined that the relocation would be for 8,652 Marines, and this is wrong! The people of Guam must be heard, there must be collaboration in this process with our island community,” she added.
She said if neither the U.S. federal government nor the government of Japan agrees fund local needs, Guam “will end up in the disastrous situation of having two Guams: a first-world Guam inside the military fences, and third-world Guam outside the fences.”
Wednesday, 27 January 2010 05:32
by Therese Hart | Variety News Staff
WITH the recent declaration made by Nago Okinawa Prefecure mayor-elect Susumu Inamine about his opposition to having U.S. bases in Okinawa, Guam gets the opportunity to be included in the new discussions between Japan and the United States regarding Marines’ relocation plan, Sen. Judith Guthretz said yesterday.
The chair of the legislative committee on military buildup explained that the election of anti-U.S. base candidate Inamine earlier this month has virtually ended the possibility of relocating the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, as previously agreed upon in a bilateral accord between the U.S. and Japan.
“This change in leadership in Okinawa is an opportunity for the United States to finally address the concerns of the island community with regard to the impending military buildup,” Guthertz said.
Possible voiding
She added that the dynamics of Japan’s current political landscape gives credence to the probability of a delay or nullification of the accord and the proposed relocation of Marines to Guam because of the movement of the Futenma Marine contingent to Nago.
Japan Prime Minister Hatoyama has seemingly acquiesced to Inamine’s view stating that “The country will start from scratch on this issue and take responsibility.”
Moreover, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has stated that without the move from Futenma there will be no move to Guam.
Guthertz explained that it just makes sense to include the concerns of the people of Guam who will absorb the entirety of the buildup impact. During the initial discussion on the proposed buildup Guam was totally ignored, she said.
Workable approach
Guthertz explained that this is not a workable approach and noted that this sentiment is reflected in the current fallout of support for the buildup as the island citizenry reacts to the draft environment impact statement.
“It is becoming more and more apparent among the people of Guam that the proposed buildup is for too many too soon, and is coming too quickly,” said Guthertz. “In Guam, the public sentiment for the buildup is rapidly shifting from positive to negative as the details in the [draft study] are being understood.
Guthertz offers an alternative to the U.S. government via a comment paper in response to the draft study. She will dub her paper, “Stretching and Spreading the Buildup,” over a over a more manageable and acceptable timeframe.
Guthertz cited a prior commitment made by then-Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney in 1990 pledging that the Pentagon would conduct prior consultations with the government of Guam regarding any desired change in the military footprint in Guam.
The Pentagon is breaking that solemn promise, she said. “No discussions were held with the Government of Guam prior to the determination of the relocation of Marines, and Guam had no input on the size or speed of the buildup.”
Attention
“We have never been told who and what determined that the relocation would be for 8,652 Marines, and this is wrong! The people of Guam must be heard, there must be collaboration in this process with our island community,” she added.
She said if neither the U.S. federal government nor the government of Japan agrees fund local needs, Guam “will end up in the disastrous situation of having two Guams: a first-world Guam inside the military fences, and third-world Guam outside the fences.”
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Voting begins in Nago poll that may affect Hatoyama decision on Futemma
Voting begins in Nago poll that may affect Hatoyama decision on Futemma
Jan 23 07:10 PM US/Eastern
(AP) - NAGO, Japan, Jan. 24 (Kyodo) — Voting began Sunday morning in an election to pick the leader of the city of Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, which may determine Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's decision on the future of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in Ginowan, another city in the southernmost Japanese prefecture.
The mayoral election is being closely watched as Hatoyama has said that he wants to see the result before deciding whether to relocate the Futemma facility, which currently sits in a residential area in Ginowan, to Nago in line with a 2006 Japan-U.S. deal or to transfer it outside the prefecture as he has advocated.
Incumbent Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro, 63, has shown his willingness to accept the existing plan if Tokyo decides to do so, while his sole rival Susumu Inamine, 64, is resolutely opposed to it.
Under the bilateral deal, the central Okinawa city of Nago with a population of about 60,000 will have to have a new heliport base built along the coast of the U.S. Marine Corps' Camp Schwab near the city's Henoko area to accommodate the Futemma facility.
"We have suffered for 13 years...with neighbors long being at loggerheads with each other," Inamine told voters Saturday. "But let's put an end to it in this (election). I will not have another base constructed in Henoko waters."
Inamine was referring to a local referendum in 1997 in which a majority voted against the relocation and the fact that the U.S. base issue has divided the city over whether it should accept the base in exchange for a considerable amount of government subsidies. The city has been plagued by fiscal problems.
During campaigning Saturday, meanwhile, Shimabukuro made virtually no mention of the relocation issue, arguing it is a matter that neither a mayor nor local people in the city should decide on.
Instead, Shimabukuro has highlighted what he has achieved during his past four-year term including the creation of 1,000 jobs by inviting companies from outside the city, as well as maintaining economic stability by taking advantage of base-related state subsidies.
Inamine is running as an independent but has support from Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan and its coalition partners -- the Social Democratic Party and the People's New Party -- and the Japanese Communist Party, while Shimabukuro, running also as an independent, has the backing of two opposition parties -- the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito party.
Inamine, who is former chairman of the city's education board, is also supported by civic groups opposing the construction of a new U.S. base, while Shimabukuro is largely backed by construction firms that have benefited from the state subsidies and related public works projects.
Hatoyama reiterated last week that his government would conclude negotiations with the United States by the end of May on where to relocate the Futemma facility.
Since taking office last September, the 62-year-old Japanese leader has been evasive on the issue and this has been widely seen as straining Japan-U.S. relations.
Jan 23 07:10 PM US/Eastern
(AP) - NAGO, Japan, Jan. 24 (Kyodo) — Voting began Sunday morning in an election to pick the leader of the city of Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, which may determine Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's decision on the future of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in Ginowan, another city in the southernmost Japanese prefecture.
The mayoral election is being closely watched as Hatoyama has said that he wants to see the result before deciding whether to relocate the Futemma facility, which currently sits in a residential area in Ginowan, to Nago in line with a 2006 Japan-U.S. deal or to transfer it outside the prefecture as he has advocated.
Incumbent Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro, 63, has shown his willingness to accept the existing plan if Tokyo decides to do so, while his sole rival Susumu Inamine, 64, is resolutely opposed to it.
Under the bilateral deal, the central Okinawa city of Nago with a population of about 60,000 will have to have a new heliport base built along the coast of the U.S. Marine Corps' Camp Schwab near the city's Henoko area to accommodate the Futemma facility.
"We have suffered for 13 years...with neighbors long being at loggerheads with each other," Inamine told voters Saturday. "But let's put an end to it in this (election). I will not have another base constructed in Henoko waters."
Inamine was referring to a local referendum in 1997 in which a majority voted against the relocation and the fact that the U.S. base issue has divided the city over whether it should accept the base in exchange for a considerable amount of government subsidies. The city has been plagued by fiscal problems.
During campaigning Saturday, meanwhile, Shimabukuro made virtually no mention of the relocation issue, arguing it is a matter that neither a mayor nor local people in the city should decide on.
Instead, Shimabukuro has highlighted what he has achieved during his past four-year term including the creation of 1,000 jobs by inviting companies from outside the city, as well as maintaining economic stability by taking advantage of base-related state subsidies.
Inamine is running as an independent but has support from Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan and its coalition partners -- the Social Democratic Party and the People's New Party -- and the Japanese Communist Party, while Shimabukuro, running also as an independent, has the backing of two opposition parties -- the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito party.
Inamine, who is former chairman of the city's education board, is also supported by civic groups opposing the construction of a new U.S. base, while Shimabukuro is largely backed by construction firms that have benefited from the state subsidies and related public works projects.
Hatoyama reiterated last week that his government would conclude negotiations with the United States by the end of May on where to relocate the Futemma facility.
Since taking office last September, the 62-year-old Japanese leader has been evasive on the issue and this has been widely seen as straining Japan-U.S. relations.
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