April 8, 2010
A junior party in Japan's ruling coalition is sending a lawmaker to the Northern Mariana Islands to see whether the territory can host the functions of a US base in Okinawa.
The Japanese government is studying where to relocate functions of the US Futenma Marine Corps Air Station. Under consideration are several sites including those in and out of Okinawa.
But junior coalition member, the Social Democratic Party, opposes these options.
At a meeting on Thursday, SDP executives agreed that moving the base outside Japan is best.
The party decided to send its Diet affairs chief, Kantoku Teruya, to the Northern Mariana Islands.
The governor there in February said he would consider accepting US Marines from Okinawa.
Teruya will meet with local officials to study whether the functions of Futenma can be transferred to the islands, which include Saipan and Tinian.
SDP Secretary General Yasumasa Shigeno told reporters he is aware that Tokunoshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, and other places are being considered as relocation sites. But, he says he only has Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands in mind.
2010/04/08 15:26(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
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