May 27 09:10 AM US/Eastern
(AP) - TOKYO, May 27 (Kyodo) — Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama asked prefectural governors Thursday to try to share the burden of hosting U.S. forces in Japan with Okinawa Prefecture, which currently accepts a large part of the military installations and drills.
The National Governors' Association compiled a statement saying that governors would "respond sincerely on the basis of the views of related municipalities and residents" if there are specific proposals from the central government.
But it is uncertain whether the association will accept the central government's request, with some of the governors clearly showing their reluctance.
"I would like to somehow soften the burden on people in Okinawa," Hatoyama said at a meeting of the association. "It would be appreciated if you would consider the possibility" of accepting some of the drills currently conducted on the island prefecture.
The request came as the government struggles to relocate some functions of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa to other parts of Japan.
At the meeting which was open to the media, Hatoyama explained to the governors an idea to have Futenma's helicopter unit join Marine drills being conducted outside Okinawa. He also mentioned another idea of moving some fighter jet drills at the Kadena Air Base on the island to a Japanese Air Self-Defense Force base outside the prefecture.
"I want all of you to consider (the issue) as a problem for all the Japanese people," Hatoyama said.
Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima, who attended the meeting, called for assistance from his colleagues, saying that people in Okinawa "have been forced to bear more burdens than they could carry."
But Hatoyama said it is difficult to considerably reduce the size of the U.S. forces in Okinawa, citing "geopolitical" reasons.
"Peace and stability have not been completely secured in East Asia," he said, referring to the recent sinking of a South Korean warship in the Yellow Sea believed to have been the result of a torpedo fired from a North Korean submarine.
Japan and the United States will release on Friday a joint statement on the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, saying it will be relocated to the Henoko coastal area in the same Okinawa Prefecture.
While saying his government will later make requests to each governor on specific sites for relocating U.S. base functions and drills, Hatoyama said the joint statement will name Tokunoshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture as a possible relocation site.
Kagoshima Gov. Yuichiro Ito was clearly reluctant to accept Hatoyama's request.
"All the people on the island oppose it (the relocation). We are in an extremely difficult situation," Ito said.
Hatoyama's government will also aim to adopt at a Cabinet meeting Friday a policy of relocating the Futenma base within Okinawa and keeping most of its functions in the prefecture.
Other participants in Thursday's meeting included Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara and Osaka Gov. Toru Hashimoto.
Hashimoto expressed support for sharing the burden, saying, "We would like to do all we can do," as his prefecture does not shoulder any burden concerning U.S. bases in Japan. But some others showed a reluctance stance, with Ishikawa Gov. Masanori Tanimoto saying, "I cannot explain to local people," and Hokkaido Gov. Harumi Takahashi said, "It's a tall order," if the central government wants local governments to voluntary accept such relocations.
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