April 15, 2010
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Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has again stressed that he intends to settle the issue of relocating the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa by the end of May.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Hatoyama said he means to announce by the end of next month a plan that has been approved by both the US government and potential relocation sites in Japan.
Hatoyama has just returned from Washington where he held informal talks with US President Barack Obama during a nuclear security summit.He said he had strongly sought Obama's support on the issue at the meeting.
Meanwhile, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano separately told reporters that the government is not intent on securing approval from municipalities of the relocation sites by the May deadline.
He said that while the government hopes to finalize its basic relocation plan by the end of May, it does not hold the view that details including technical issues must be cleared by then.
The Secretary General of a junior coalition party said the May deadline is not agreed on by all 3 coalition parties but is one set by the Hatoyama government.
The Social Democratic Party's Yasumasa Shigeno said he is worried whether the government can keep its self-imposed deadline and that it should seriously consider moving the base abroad as the party insists.
2010/04/15 14:05(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
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