July 31, 2010The prospects for reducing Okinawa Prefecture's burden of hosting U.S. bases are growing uncertain. The process of relocating U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa is deadlocked, and the shift of part of the Marine presence in the prefecture to Guam will likely be delayed beyond the original 2014 timeline.
The Naha branch of the Fukuoka High Court stated in a ruling on the Futenma noise pollution lawsuit that local residents' fear of a possible accident is realistic, pointing to the danger the base poses to the local community.
The Cabinet of Prime Minister Naoto Kan's influence has declined sharply since the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) suffered defeat in the July 11 House of Councillors election. However, his administration should take the first step toward reducing the U.S. bases' burden on the southernmost prefecture because the prime minister has repeatedly pledged to do so.
In late May, Tokyo and Washington agreed that Futenma base in Ginowan will be relocated to an area off the Henoko district of the prefectural city of Nago, and that experts will decide on the specific construction method and exact location of a substitute facility for Futenma base by the end of August. The foreign and defense ministers from the Japanese and U.S. governments were supposed to confirm the details of the plan before the leaders of the two countries meet in November to make a final decision on the matter.
However, Japan decided not to narrow down locations or runway construction methods for the Futenma substitute facility during experts' studies in response to opposition from the prefectural government to the relocation to Henoko, and instead will work out multiple plans. Furthermore, the government reportedly intends not make a final decision on the relocation until the Okinawa gubernatorial race scheduled for late November.
To relocate Futenma base, the national government needs cooperation from Okinawa and is required to build mutual trust with the prefectural government and local residents. We have urged that measures to reduce the U.S. bases' burden on Okinawa, which are incorporated in the late May bilateral agreement, be implemented ahead of the relocation in a bid to restore Okinawa's trust in the national government. For example, if the site for U.S. Marine drills, currently conducted at Futenma, is moved out of Okinawa, it will lessen the danger that Futenma poses to the local community.
However, the government has so far failed to take concrete steps toward that end, such as holding consultations with Okinawa Prefectural Government officials, even though it convened a meeting of Cabinet ministers concerned.
An anticipated delay in the relocation of part of the Marine presence to Guam beyond 2014 -- the deadline set under a bilateral agreement reached in 2006 -- has worsened the situation. The delay is because infrastructure construction on Guam cannot keep pace with the expansion of U.S. bases on the island and the accompanying spike in population. It is feared the delay will adversely affect the Futenma relocation and increase the costs of infrastructure in Guam, requiring Japan to shoulder a greater financial burden.
If that becomes a reality, it will aggravate Okinawa's distrust in the Japanese and U.S. governments.
The deadlocked relocation of Air Station Futenma, coupled with a delay in the relocation of part of the Okinawa-based Marines to Guam, will make continued use of Futenma base increasingly realistic. It would mean nothing but a postponement of eliminating the danger that the base poses to local residents and noise pollution, which is the very purpose of relocating Futenma base.
The relocation of Futenma will undoubtedly be a focus of contention during the Okinawa gubernatorial race in November. Depending on its outcome, the situation surrounding the relocation could become more complicated. The Kan administration is urged to convince the U.S. government that implementing measures to lessen the burden on Okinawa is a quick way to solving the matter, and win understanding from Washington.
(Mainichi Japan) July 31, 2010
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