April 30, 2010
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The head of the ruling Democratic Party's Okinawa chapter has voiced his opposition to the government's modified plan to build a runway on pilings in shallow waters of Camp Schwab for relocating the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station.
Shokichi Kina visited Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Friday.
Kina said the plan, a modification of an existing plan agreed upon by the United States and Japan in 2006, is not acceptable because it still poses an environmental threat.
He said opposition to moving the base functions within the prefecture continues to mount among residents.
Kina told Hatoyama that he does not think it is necessary for the prime minister to settle the issue by his self-imposed deadline of the end of May.Meanwhile, Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine said he would meet with Hatoyama when the prime minister visits Okinawa on Tuesday.
Inamine said he will express his opposition to transferring the base functions to either the waters off the city or any of its land, as he has pledged to his constituents.
Okinawa hosts most of the US military bases in Japan.
2010/04/30 14:05(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
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