April 13, 2010
Members of parties in the Japanese ruling coalition have been voicing support for a proposal that the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station be moved to the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory.
A delegation led by Kantoku Teruya, the Social Democratic Party's Diet affairs chief, made a 3-day visit to the islands to discuss the relocation with Lower House Speaker Froilan Tenorio.
Teruya said the speaker stated that Tinian Island would welcome the stationing of the US Marine Corps.
He also said the Tinian mayor expressed hope that the Marine Corps station would be relocated there permanently.
Earlier, the 2 Democratic Lower House representatives of Japan met Lieutenant Governor Eloy Inos. They said Inos was supportive of the idea, and they plan to call on other lawmakers of the coalition parties to ask the government to work for a concrete plan.
But on Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano told reporters that it would be difficult to move the base out of Japan.
2010/04/13 07:35(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
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