Okinawan leaders on Sunday accused Yukio Hatoyama, Japanese prime minister, of “betrayal” after he stuck by a controversial deal to relocate a US military base on the southern island prefecture rather than keep an election promise to remove it.
The angry response to Mr Hatoyama’s retreat highlights doubts about whether the politically damaged premier will be able to follow through on the planned move of the Futenma air base, which has become a major irritant in ties between Tokyo and Washington.