April 28, 2010
Tokyo, April 28 (Jiji Press) -- Senior Japanese and U.S. officials met here Wednesday in an effort to break a deadlock over the relocation of a U.S. Marine base in Okinawa Prefecture, southernmost Japan.
The Japanese side is believed to have presented a proposal for modifying a bilateral agreement to relocate the Futenma air station in Ginowan.
The proposal apparently includes building a runway on a pile-supported pier, instead of two runways on landfill under the present plan, in a costal area of the Marines' Camp Schwab in Nago, another Okinawa city, to relocate the Futenma base.
The proposal is also believed to include transferring some functions of the base to Tokunoshima island in Kagoshima Prefecture, north of Okinawa.
The two sides had good discussions, Kurt Campbell, U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, told reporters after the meeting. But he declined to elaborate.
(2010/04/28-14:30)
Posts
