Jan 19 01:49 AM US/EasternTOKYO, Jan. 19 (AP) - (Kyodo) — The central government and local authorities remained apart concerning a plan to relocate a U.S. military base in Okinawa as they held a third consultative meeting on the issue Friday in Tokyo.
The parties agreed to meet again at an early time after neither side made concessions on their differences over the specifics of moving the airfield functions of the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma [Futenma] Air Station in Ginowan to an area in Nago around the Marines' Camp Schwab.
Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro told reporters after the meeting at the prime minister's office he proposed during informal discussions that the new replacement airfield in Nago be constructed further offshore than currently planned.
But central government officials indicated they do not consider it a proposal as the mayor did not mention it during formal consultative talks.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki told a press conference there was no such adjustment proposal made in the meeting.
The national government explained the background to the latest relocation scheme and the rough outline of plans for environmental assessment, reclamation work and construction, aimed for completion by officials said.
Under an agreement finalized last May, the Japanese and U.S. governments plan to build an airfield with two runways in a V-shaped formation on the coast and a new landfill in Nago in and around Camp Schwab by 2014 as a replacement for the Futemma [Futenma] base.
Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima, who opposes the current plan, reiterated his view that the government should bring the Futemma [Futenma] Air Station to a state of virtual closure within three years to eliminate the danger it poses to the densely populated area where it is now located.
Nakaima said in the consultative talks that he finds it difficult to agree with the current plan to build the V-shaped runways, but agreed on the need to continue discussions with the central government.
The Okinawa governor, however, suggested at a separate press conference that he may accept moving the facility to the Camp Schwab vicinity, saying, "The Nago area seems to be realistic in order to complete the relocation."
Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma said separately he told the local government representatives he wants to continue consultations with them over their wish to eliminate the dangers of Futemma [Futenma].
Following the consultations, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with Nakaima and other local representatives and told them the national government intends to continue discussions with them.
"We must lend our ear to the heartfelt voices of the local people and explain the government's views carefully," Abe later told reporters.
The Nago municipal government earlier accepted the new airfield plan, but Shimabukuro said Friday he wants the V-shaped runways to be built further to the southwest to reduce noise in nearby residential areas.
Tokyo has yet to gain approval from the Okinawa prefectural government. Under current laws, landfills for airfield construction require authorization from the governor.
Nakaima, who took office in December, is seen as showing more flexibility on the Futemma [Futenma] issue than his predecessor, Keiichi Inamine, who strongly opposed the V-shaped runways and called for relocating the facility outside of Okinawa.
The Futemma [Futenma] relocation is a main pillar of the overall plan for the realignment of the U.S. military presence in Japan, which also includes moving 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam and dispersing flight drills from congested bases to other facilities across the country.
Representatives of the central government and the Okinawa, Nago and other related local governments met in Tokyo for consultations on the Futemma [Futenma] relocation plan for the first time in August last year and held their second meeting in December.
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