Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 31 - Kyodo Articles
Opposition lawmakers slam DPJ power struggle
Aug 31 09:36 AM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ Opposition lawmakers on Tuesday criticized the ruling Democratic Party of Japan following failed attempts to avoid a showdown between Prime Minister Naoto Kan and DPJ heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa in the party's Sept. 14 presidential election. ...
Japan, U.S. to give due consideration to dugongs in base talks+
Aug 31 09:32 AM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ Japan and the United States said Tuesday they will consider the possible impact of the planned construction of a facility to accommodate the heliport functions of a U.S. Marine base in Okinawa on the dugong, an endangered marine mammal spotted in the area. ...
LEAD: Nago mayor criticizes Japan-U.S. report on Futenma relocation+
Aug 31 09:29 AM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ (EDS: CLARIFYING BACKGROUND INFO ON FLIGHT ROUTES IN LAST 2 GRAF) Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine strongly criticized a report unveiled Tuesday by Japan and the United States on on the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Ginowan to Henoko in the city of Nago in Okinawa. ...
3RD LD: Japan, U.S. eye 2 base shape options, continue flight route talks+
Aug 31 09:04 AM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Aug. 31 (Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING NAGO MAYOR'S COMMENT IN 9TH-10TH GRAFS, OKADA'S COMMENTS IN PENULTIMATE GRAF) Japan and the United States unveiled Tuesday a report on the technical details of the planned replacement facility for a key U.S. Marine base in Okinawa that presents two options for its design -- either two runways in a V-shaped formation or a single runway. ...
Defense Ministry to seek U.S. bases costs under special framework+
Aug 31 08:02 AM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ The Defense Ministry said Tuesday it will request 4.71 trillion yen in fiscal 2011 budget appropriations, up 0.6 percent over its fiscal 2010 initial budget, including 185.9...
LEAD: Kan regrets DPJ will hold leadership election+
Aug 31 07:36 AM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ (EDS: RECASTING WITH MORE INFO) Prime Minister Naoto Kan expressed regret Tuesday that his Democratic Party of Japan will hold a presidential election, saying he had wanted ...
Nago mayor criticizes Japan-U.S. report on Futenma relocation+
Aug 31 07:13 AM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine strongly criticized a report unveiled Tuesday by Japan and the United States on the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in
30-month prison term finalized for former top defense bureaucrat
August 31 2010 19:55 JST
TOKYO, Aug. 31 KYODO_ A ruling of 30 months in prison has become final for former Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya who was convicted on bribery and perjury charges in a lower court, as last Friday he withdrew his appeal to the Supreme Court, court officials said Tuesday. ...
LEAD: Japanese GSDF helicopters begin flood relief work in Pakistan+
1 minute ago
(Kyodo) _ (EDS: FIXING LOCATION OF PAKISTAN MILITARY DEPOT, 2ND GRAF) The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force kicked off its flood relief work in Pakistan on Tuesday, using two...
3RD LD: Ozawa to challenge Kan in DPJ leadership election+
8 minutes ago
(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING DETAILS, 4TH LEAD TO FOLLOW) Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa said Tuesday he will go ahead with his plan to challenge Prime Minister Naoto Kan...
Okada calls for party unity after DPJ leadership race+
18 minutes ago
(Kyodo) _ Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, who backs Prime Minister and President of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan Naoto Kan in the upcoming party leadership election, called...
Gist of Japan-U.S. officials' report on transfer of U.S. Futenma base+
Aug 31 06:10 AM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ The following is the gist of a report on the technical details of the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture unveiled by Japan ...
URGENT: Kan formally declares candidacy for DPJ presidential election+
49 minutes ago
(Kyodo) _ Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Tuesday formally announced his candidacy for the Democratic Party of Japan's presidential election next month. Kan, current DPJ president, said...
2ND LD: Kan-Ozawa set to battle in DPJ leadership election+
1 hour ago
(Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING) Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa reiterated Tuesday that he will challenge Prime Minister Naoto Kan by running in the upcoming ruling...
URGENT: Ozawa to run in DPJ's presidential election+
1 hour ago
(Kyodo) _ Democratic Party of Japan heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa reiterated Tuesday he will run in the upcoming ruling party's presidential election to challenge Prime Minister Naoto Kan. ...
REFILLING: 2ND LD: Japan, U.S. eye 2 base shape options, keep flight route talks+
Aug 31 04:49 AM US/Eastern
TOKYO, Aug. 31 (Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING BYLINE) Japan and the United States unveiled Tuesday a report on technical details of the planned replacement facility for a key U.S. Marine base
2ND LD: Japan, U.S. eye 2 base shape options, keep flight route talks+
Aug 31 04:44 AM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING DETAILS) Japan and the United States unveiled Tuesday a report on technical details of the planned replacement facility for a key U.S. Marine base in Okinawa ...
LEAD: Kan, Ozawa hold talks to ease DPJ's internal power struggle+
2 hours ago
(Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING WITH START OF KAN-OZAWA TALKS) Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Tuesday held talks with ruling party heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa in an attempt to avoid a destabilizing...
LEAD: Japan, U.S. eye 2 base shape options, keep flight route talks+
Aug 31 02:15 AM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING WITH MORE INFORMATION) Japan and the United States unveiled Tuesday a report on technical details of the planned replacement facility for a key U.S. Marine base
Kan, Ozawa to hold talks to ease DPJ's internal power struggle+
Aug 31 01:10 AM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ Prime Minister Naoto Kan and ruling party heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa are scheduled to hold talks later Tuesday aimed at avoiding a destabilizing power struggle in the upcoming party leadership ballot at a time when Japan faces economic uncertainty. ...
Chronology of key events related to U.S. Futenma base in Okinawa+
Aug 31 12:48 AM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ The following is a chronology of major events related to the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture. Sept. 1995 -- 3 U.S....
Japan, U.S. eye 2 base shape options, forgo flight route decision+
Aug 31 12:30 AM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ Japan and the United States unveiled Tuesday an experts' report on technical details of the planned replacement facility for a key U.S. Marine base in Okinawa that presents two options for its design -- either two runways in a V-shaped formation or a single runway. ...
S. Korea, U.S. to start 5 days of naval drills from Sun.+
Aug 30 11:50 PM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ South Korea and the United States will begin five days of naval exercises Sunday off the Korean Peninsula's west coast, aimed at sending a message of deterrence to North Korea, a military source told Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday. ...
Ozawa should not be Japan's prime minister: Financial Times+
56 minutes ago
(Kyodo) _ The Financial Times on Monday signified a sense of caution against the challenge by Ichiro Ozawa, a powerful figure in Japan's ruling party, for the leadership of the Democratic
Futenma relocation policy may reflect Okinawa's views+
Aug 30 01:06 PM US/Eastern
(Kyodo) _ Japan and the United States have agreed to state in a written policy that they will bear in mind the Okinawa people's views on the exact relocation and construction method of a key U.S. base within the prefecture, provided this does not result in a significant delay in building the facility, bilateral diplomatic sources said Monday. ...
US welcomes Futenma report
August 31, 2010
The United States has welcomed the release of the report.
The US government has yet to issue an official statement, but officials say they are relieved that the 2 countries reached an agreement by the August 31st deadline they set in May.
The US is expected to pressure Japan to steadily implement the relocation plan and put the process on track by the time of President Barack Obama's visit to Japan scheduled for November.
2010/08/31 17:27(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
Futenma relocation experts suggest 1 or 2 runways
August 31, 2010
Click for Video
A report by experts on relocating the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa includes 2 options for runway construction off US Camp Schwab on the same island.
On Tuesday, Japanese and US officials disclosed the contents of the report on moving functions of Futenma to the area off Camp Schwab in Nago city.
The report proposes building two runways in a V-shaped formation or a single runway as recently requested by Japan.The report says both ideas meet safety standards, but that building only 1 runway would require aircraft to fly near mountains, possibly interfering with the planes' instruments.
It says 1 runway would require 40 hectares less in reclaimed land and would thus have a smaller effect on marine life.
Construction work for 1 runway would take 6 months less than building twin runways but would require new designs and further environmental assessments, making the single-runway process 9 months longer.
The report did not refer to changes in helicopter flight routes as requested by the US, and the two sides are expected to continue discussions on this issue.
Japan's Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa told reporters that both proposals have pros and cons that he hopes to discuss with local people. Kitazawa said he hopes to consider a new framework between the two countries so that the new facility can be used jointly by the US military and Japan's Self-Defense Forces.
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada told reporters that the report is based only on technical aspects, and that the government will officially decide on a proposal after factoring in political judgments.
Okada said what's important is gaining the understanding of the people of Okinawa, and that progress on the issue is impossible if a decision is reached without such understanding.
He added solid efforts and communication with Okinawa are necessary.
2010/08/31 17:02(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
Nago City refuses government briefing
August 31, 2010
Nago has refused to be briefed by the Defense Ministry on the report.
The ministry's Okinawa bureau offered such a briefing to the city by phone on Tuesday, before the Japanese and US governments released the report that day.
But Nago said it won't accept a government briefing premised on relocating the base in the city.
Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima told NHK that as the prefecture has not yet started formal negotiations on the matter with the central government, he's not interested in a briefing on a technical report.
Nakaima urged the government to explain to the people in Okinawa its about-face on its policy concerning the relocation, and said that without a convincing explanation, he won't start talks with the government.
2010/08/31 17:02(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
Japan Cites 2 Futenma Replacement Runway Options
August 31, 2010
Tokyo, Aug. 31 (Jiji Press) -- The Japanese government released a report on Tuesday that includes two runway options for a replacement facility for a U.S. Marine airbase in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan.
One of the two options calls for building two runways aligned in a V shape in the Henoko coastal area in Nago, also in Okinawa, as agreed by the Japanese and U.S. governments in 2006.
The other option is to construct a single I-shaped runway at the same location in order to reduce the size of the area to be reclaimed.
The report said the I-shaped runway will reduce the reclaimed area by 40 hectares and cut construction costs by 3 pct.
But the Japanese government is finding it difficult to introduce either option because the Okinawan public is increasingly opposed to the transfer of the Futenma base in Ginowan to the Henoko area.
(2010/08/31-16:21)
Japan politics keeps US base dispute in limbo
by Frank Zeller Frank Zeller
–15 mins ago / 4:08 PM Guam / CST
TOKYO (AFP) – A deadline to resolve the fate of a US airbase in Japan came and went Tuesday with scant progress on the toxic dispute, which has already claimed one prime minister and threatens to undermine another.
Washington and Tokyo started arguing over the Marine Corps base on Okinawa island after the centre-left Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) came to power a year ago, ending a half-century of nearly unbroken conservative rule.
Tuesday marked the August 31 deadline by which both sides had aimed to come up with a workable plan to relocate the airbase within Okinawa -- but news reports said so far Washington and Tokyo have only agreed to politely disagree.
The base is located in the urban area of Futenma on the southern island of Okinawa, where residents have long complained about aircraft noise and the risk of accidents.
Kyodo News reported that a joint working group had submitted a paper that mentions two options for a new coastal site at Henoko -- with Japan proposing a single offshore runway, and the US favouring a larger, V-shaped runway.
The DPJ's first premier, Yukio Hatoyama, pledged to scrap a 2006 bilateral pact to relocate the base to Henoko and instead promised to move it off the island altogether.
But in the following months Hatoyama flip-flopped on the issue as Washington ramped up pressure for the base to stay on Okinawa.
Hatoyama, his approval ratings slumping, backtracked on his pledge in May and stepped down in June, taking Ichiro Ozawa, the DPJ's scandal-mired secretary general, with him.
Both nations reaffirmed in May they would move the base to Henoko as originally agreed, despite local opposition and concerns the offshore runways would spoil a fragile marine ecosystem.
Under the deal, 8,000 US Marines are set to be moved to the American territory of Guam to ease the burden on Okinawa, which has hosted Japan's largest concentration of US troops since the end of World War II.
Both countries are mindful of the electoral calendar on Okinawa, where a new governor will be chosen in November. An anti-base candidate could block any offshore runway construction.
In recent days another wild-card factor has emerged -- a bid to oust Kan as party leader and premier by Ozawa, the veteran party powerbroker who was widely seen as Hatoyama's puppet master.
The Mainichi Shimbun daily said Sunday that while "Kan is sticking to the Japan-US joint statement, Mr Ozawa is cautious about a relocation to Henoko".
"Futenma is expected to be an issue in the leadership race," it said.
However, Kan and Ozawa were expected to meet later on Tuesday, with speculation swirling about whether they will go head-to-head next month or reach a deal under which Ozawa would withdraw his candidacy.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a politics professor at Aoyama Gakuin University, predicted that, whatever happens within the DPJ, there will be little progress on Futenma until the Okinawa governor's election in November.
"Domestic politics... inevitably plays a role in this issue," he said.
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