THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
2010/04/23
The U.S. government has told Japanese officials that an operational requirement of ground and helicopter units now based at the Futenma base in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, is that they must remain within 65 nautical miles (120 kilometers) of each other, according to a high-ranking Tokyo official.
That would disqualify Tokunoshima island in Kagoshima Prefecture as an option for relocation of helicopter units at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, as suggested by the Hatoyama government.
The island is a little less than 200 km northeast of Okinawa's main island, where the ground units are stationed.
The U.S. government has begun a technical review of the relocation options, based on the distances between Okinawa and possible sites and other factors, according to a U.S. government source.
The Japanese official indicated that key to solving the Futenma issue would be whether Washington shifts its stance on the nearly double distance between Okinawa and Tokunoshima.
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