TMCnet News
Ex-mayor's death may delay talks with Nago over base: Nukaga+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)TOKYO, March 28_(Kyodo) _ Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga indicated Tuesday that talks scheduled this week with the Nago municipal government on the relocation site for a U.S. air station may be delayed due to the death of former Nago Mayor Tateo Kishimoto on Monday. "We had planned to hold talks this week, as early as tomorrow, but due to the unfortunate news, I think we need to consult with Nago on the schedule," Nukaga said in response to reporters' questions after a Cabinet meeting. The government has hoped to resolve this week disagreement with Nago over a Japan-U.S. plan to build a new airfield straddling Cape Henoko and the coastline in the northern Okinawa city. Japan and the United States aim to finalize the Futemma relocation plan, together with the rest of an overall realignment package for U.S. forces in Japan, by Friday. Asked if the delay would make it difficult to reach an agreement this week, Nukaga said, "That I don't know. To a certain extent, this has to do with the Japanese culture and I think it is important to respect it." He was apparently indicating that incumbent Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro and other Nago officials are likely to attend Kishimoto's funeral and related events in Nago and so may be unable to hold talks in Tokyo. Kishimoto, who served two terms as mayor from 1998 until this February, when he retired for health reasons, agreed in 1999 to an initial plan to relocate the helicopter functions of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station from downtown Ginowan in central Okinawa to an offshore airstrip off Henoko. Japan and the United States are scheduled to hold senior working-level talks in Washington on Thursday and Friday in the hope of meeting the deadline to finalize the realignment plans. However, Foreign Minister Taro Aso expressed doubt on Tuesday on whether the two sides will be able to reach agreement on final details. Asked if he expects an accord on how much Japan should pay of the cost for the relocation of about 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam, Aso said, "I wonder if the negotiations can get that far." |