Cohen hopes Futemma relocation site found in 6 months

July 26 1999
Kyodo

ABOARD DEFENSE SECRETARY COHEN'S JET, U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen said Monday he hopes a site will be found for the relocation of the U.S. Futemma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture by early 2000.

"We're hoping we can make significant progress by having it (the relocation site) scheduled, perhaps agreed to in the next six months or so," Cohen told Kyodo News in an interview aboard his jet en route to Japan from Washington.

"We want to try to accommodate the need to have what we call a smaller footprint, and reduce our presence, not in terms of numbers, but in terms of activity. So with everything arrived at, the sooner better than later," he said.

Cohen said the next step in the process is for "the Okinawan government to recommend a site," adding that he hopes "the Japanese government and the people of Okinawa will help to move forward (the issue)."

He expressed U.S. flexibility concerning a recent proposal by Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine for a joint military-civilian facility to replace the base, which is located in the middle of a residential area in Ginowan in central Okinawa.

"As long as we can be satisfied that our security needs are met, a dual-use facility is something we have indicated we are open to," he said.

Asked about the proposed location of the base on the northern part of the island, Cohen responded, "We're open to any reasonable proposal."

In reference to comments made by U.S. President Bill Clinton on his desire to settle the relocation issue by next year's Group of Eight summit, Cohen said, "The president has indicated that we hope all our outstanding issues will be resolved and we will continue to have discussions at high levels to see what an acceptable outcome would be."

Japan and the U.S. agreed in 1996 on the return of the Futemma base in five to seven years provided that a replacement is built in Okinawa to take over the base's heliport functions. Cohen is scheduled to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and Defense Agency Director General Hosei Norota during his three-day visit to Japan starting Monday.

Cohen to discuss Okinawa, defense guidelines in Japan

WASHINGTON, July 22 1999 Kyodo

U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen will discuss Okinawa, security issues in East Asia and Japan-U.S. defense cooperation guidelines during his forthcoming trip to Japan, a senior Pentagon official said Wednesday.

Cohen will tell Japanese leaders of the importance of reaffirming the U.S. security commitment to Japan, said the official, who announced the itinerary of Cohen's weeklong trip to Asia from next Sunday.

The trip will also include visits to South Korea, Ukraine and Georgia.

During his stay in Tokyo from Monday, Cohen will meet with Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka as well as the heads of the Defense Agency and the Foreign Ministry, the Pentagon official said.

He will also meet with Japanese lawmakers involved in the Diet passage of the guidelines for expanded Japan-U.S. defense cooperation, said the official, who declined to be named.

In Tokyo, Japanese Foreign Ministry officials said Cohen is scheduled to meet with Obuchi and Defense Agency Director General Hosei Norota during his three-day visit to Japan.

The talks are expected to focus on the North Korean situation at a time when Pyongyang is suspected of planning to launch a ballistic missile, the officials said.

On the relocation of Futemma air base in the southernmost Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, Cohen will assure his hosts that the U.S. will continue to take steps to ease the burden of U.S. forces on local Japanese communities, the U.S. official said.

"Most pressing, of course, are our outstanding commitments that we've made in the so-called SACO process," the Pentagon official said.

Under the 1996 Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO) accord, the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station in Ginowan, central Okinawa, is to be returned to Japan within five to seven years on condition that its heliport functions are relocated.