Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Meets Okinawa Governor
Date
4/5/2015 12:11:30 PM
(MENAFN- QNA) Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has asked Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga for his understanding in the relocation of a US military base in the prefecture. Onaga has demanded the move be scrapped.
The central government wants to proceed with plans to relocate the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station to Henoko, in the coastal city of Nago, according to Japan's (NHK WORLD) website.
Suga met with Onaga Sunday morning in Okinawa. It was their first face-to-face meeting since Onaga took office last December.
Suga said relocating the base to Henoko is the only way to maintain the Japan-US alliance while removing the dangers presented by the facility's current location.
Suga said that Japan and the United States agreed to the relocation after serious discussion. He said abandoning the plan would mean keeping the base in Futenma permanently.
Suga told the governor that the central government intends to work with Okinawa to reduce the number of bases situated there and to promote the local economy.
Onaga said people in Okinawa never volunteered to host military bases. He said the more the government insists the work will continue, the more alienated and angry people in Okinawa become. He said he wants to meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the issue.
Onaga expressed his confidence that the base will never be built in Henoko.
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