April 20, 2010
Tokyo, April 20 (Jiji Press) -- The Japanese government has asked mayors in Tokunoshima island to meet with Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano over a U.S. base relocation plan, but the mayors turned down the request, it was learned Tuesday.
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kinya Takino made the request in telephone talks with the mayors of the three towns--Amagi, Isen and Tokunoshima--on the island in Kagoshima Prefecture.
Takino intended to arrange an opportunity for the central government to explain to the mayors a plan to relocate the helicopter unit of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma air station in Okinawa Prefecture, south of Kagoshima, to the island and seek their support, according to a government source.
He asked the mayors to meet with Hirano in the presence of Kagoshima Governor Yuichiro Ito.
This is the first time for a senior national government official to have made contact with the mayors over the Futenma base relocation issue.
(2010/04/20-19:38)
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