Jan 24 09:38 PM US/EasternNAGO, Japan, Jan. 25 (AP) - (Kyodo) — Nago mayor-elect Susumu Inamine said Monday he will seek passage of a resolution opposing the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station to the city.
"I want to convey the will of the Nago residents to the central and prefectural governments" by passing a resolution at the city assembly, Inamine, 64, told a press conference in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, after beating the incumbent mayor, who had expressed willingness to accept the relocation plan, in Sunday's election.
"So many military bases are concentrated in Okinawa. I expect the government to examine national security as an issue for the whole country, rather than seeking an alternative relocation site (for the Futemma facility) within Okinawa Prefecture," he said.
He also said he will seek a meeting with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama to directly hand over the resolution.
Inamine will formally assume the mayoral post on Feb. 8, according to the city's election board.
Prior to the press conference, he told reporters at his home that victory in the mayoral race "was not the goal, but it means I have just crossed the first hurdle."
"I believe I'm required to deal with the (relocation) issue soundly," he said.
Meanwhile, Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima told reporters in Naha, "While it is necessary to respect the judgment of the Nago citizens, I cannot comment before seeing how the government and the ruling parties conclude their reexamination of the relocation issue."
Posts
