Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Japan PM's plight deepens after Okinawa says 'no' to US base

Japan PM's plight deepens after Okinawa says 'no' to US base: "The re-elected governor of Okinawa stood firm Monday on his demand for the removal of a US military base, hitting the Japanese government's hopes of a breakthrough on an issue that has strained ties with Washington.
Voters on the southern island re-elected Hirokazu Nakaima on Sunday, who promptly reiterated his call for the sprawling Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to leave the prefecture.
Tokyo promised Washington it would honour an accord to move the base to a coastal location in Okinawa, but must deal with local opposition to the base on the island, which has hosted the bulk of the US forces in Japan for decades."