December 30, 2009Ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Secretary-General Ichiro Ozawa has proposed relocating U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Shimoji Island in Okinawa Prefecture, ruling coalition sources said.
Ozawa made the proposal during a year-end party for secretaries general and other top officials of the three ruling coalition partners Tuesday night.
During the gathering, Ozawa asked Social Democratic Party (SDP) Secretary-General Yasumasa Shigeno if the SDP would reject any plan to relocate the base within the prefecture. Shigeno responded by insisting that the base be relocated to Guam.
Ozawa then named Shimoji as a relocation site, according to the sources. "There's an airport on Shimoji Island that isn't currently used," he was quoted as saying.
The DPJ heavyweight also expressed opposition to the current plan to relocate Air Station Futenma in Ginowan to an area off Camp Schwab in the Henoko district of Nago, also on Okinawa's main island. "It's unacceptable to build in the beautiful sea."
There are no regular flights to and from Shimoji Island Airport on Shimoji Island -- located about midway between Okinawa's main island and Taiwan -- and the airport has been mainly used by airlines for pilot training.
Shimoji Island Airport had previously been named as a possible site for the relocation of Futenma. In October, Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa dispatched Motomi Inoue, director general of the ministry's Bureau of Local Cooperation, to inspect Shimoji, Ie and other islands in Okinawa Prefecture as possible relocation sites.
During the party, Ozawa reportedly said the DPJ intends to maintain its coalition with the SDP and the People's New Party (PNP) after the House of Councillors election in summer next year. The DPJ is aiming to win a single-party majority in the chamber.
The year-end party was attended by Ozawa and DPJ Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Kenji Yamaoka, Shigeno and Senior Vice Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Kiyomi Tsujimoto from the SDP, PNP Secretary-General Shozaburo Jimi and Policy Research Council Chairman Mikio Shimoji.
(Mainichi Japan) December 30, 2009
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