Japan’s Futenma relocation chief tours Okinawa

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Japan’s Futenma relocation chief tours Okinawa
By Chiyomi Sumida, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Monday, January 11, 2010

NAHA, Okinawa — Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima urged Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Saturday to back the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma aircraft and activities off his island.

“What people here hope for is to move the operations outside Okinawa,” Nakaima said during a meeting with Hirofumi Hirano.

Hirano, who heads a committee tasked with finding a settlement on the relocation issue, flew to Okinawa on Friday to meet local and U.S. military officials.

“Please make a decision by giving consideration to the call of the Okinawan people,” Nakaima urged Hirano during their meeting at his office.

Hirano said the committee is working hard to find a solution acceptable to both the U.S. and Japanese governments by May.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=67139