Japanese PM: No meeting with Obama on Futenma

[unhappycamper]

Japanese PM: No meeting with Obama on Futenma
Kyodo News Service
Posted : Thursday Dec 10, 2009 7:41:50 EST

TOKYO — Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama suggested Thursday that he would give up the idea of meeting one on one with U.S. President Barack Obama in Copenhagen next week to discuss the relocation issue of a Marine Corps airfield in Okinawa, after Washington shunned the Japanese leader’s overtures.

Hatoyama also indicated that conveying his government’s policy on the issue to Washington may not be possible by Dec. 18 as planned, saying that Tokyo now plans to fix its policy by the end of the month.

In Guam, meanwhile, Gov. Felix Camacho expressed a negative view Wednesday about relocating Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the U.S. territory in the Pacific, while Tokyo explores an alternative to the base’s planned relocation within Okinawa to reduce base-hosting burdens on the local people.

While the United States is urging Japan to stick to the bilaterally agreed relocation plan, Congress agreed not to significantly cut the budget for a related realignment plan.

Since the Hatoyama government came to power in September with its idea of moving Futenma out of Okinawa or abroad, it has sought to review a 2006 relocation accord with Washington.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/12/kyodo_futenma_121009/