Japan PM visits Okinawa over US military base move

[Judi Lynn]

Japan PM visits Okinawa over US military base move
AFP
Sun Feb 26 2012 12:38:44 GMT+0400 (Arabian Standard Time) Oman Time

Japan: Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda flew to Okinawa Sunday on a tough mission to persuade local islanders to accept a plan to move a controversial US military base to another part of the island.

On his first visit to the subtropical island chain in the East China Sea since taking office last September, Noda was due to meet Okinawa's governor Hirokazu Nakaima on Monday.

But Nakaima has already vowed to reject the long-stalled plan as he demanded the base -- the Futenma marine corps air station -- be moved out of Okinawa to help reduce a huge US military presence there.

The island group, where fierce battles were fought in the closing days of World War II, erupted in massive anti-base protests after the rape of a 12-year-old Okinawan girl by three US servicemen in 1995.

More:
http://www.timesofoman.com/innercat.asp?detail=452

[Hugabear]

1. WWII has been over for a long time - why do we still need to be there?

Other than to project American Empire, that is

[lunatica]

2. It's close to China dontcha know

There's always a bogeyman trying to invade us or something.

[Fearless]

3. China / North Korea.