EDITORIAL: 'New' Futenma plan

The issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture has gone back to square one after much permutation during the eight months since the change of government.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama paid his second visit to Okinawa Prefecture and for the first time clearly stated that an airstrip will be built "near the Henoko" district in Nago in the prefecture to replace the Futenma base.

The exact location and the construction methods will be decided later. But if the government accepts the U.S. request for no new environmental assessment, it is certain there will only be minor revisions to the plan agreed on in 2006.

Hatoyama has effectively returned to the existing plan.

Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima is not the only one who sees the huge gap between this result and Hatoyama's election promise of moving the Futenma airbase outside the prefecture "at the very least."

Okinawa people's disappointment and anger must be beyond words, given that Hatoyama's promises had encouraged them to unite on demanding the air station be relocated outside the prefecture or the nation.

It is not surprising that Nakaima told the prime minister that the proposal was "extremely regrettable and very difficult (to accept)."

Hatoyama's credibility among the Okinawa people will plummet. After all, he had rejected the existing plan to reclaim land off the Henoko coastline, and even went so far as to call it a "desecration of nature."

During Sunday's meeting with Nakaima, Hatoyama again cited deterrence by U.S. forces in Japan as one reason for his decision.

The sinking of a South Korean navy vessel by North Korea is only one indication that the East Asian security situation is murky. In addition, China continues to build up its military.

However, expert assessments vary on the effectiveness of the U.S. Marines' deterrence.

The Japanese government simply reverted to the original agreement after looking in vain for an alternative relocation site. No serious discussions were made about the fundamental issues concerning national security.

There is no way the government can convince the Okinawa people this time around by simply citing the importance of "deterrence."

In return for asking Okinawa to continue hosting the air station, Hatoyama stressed his intent to reduce Okinawa's burden as a whole by moving U.S. training and exercises in Okinawa to mainland Japan and returning some drill areas back to Japanese jurisdiction.

However, this should not be allowed if Hatoyama merely intends to save face.

What he really needs to do is make new efforts and offer to the public a future vision and strategy on reducing military bases in Okinawa.

Given such fierce objection in Okinawa, we doubt the government can complete the relocation plan by 2014 as scheduled, despite its basic agreement with Washington.

Elections for the Nago municipal assembly and the Okinawa governor will be held this year. Depending on the results, public opposition to the Henoko plan may well strengthen.

If the planned relocation of 8,000 Marines to Guam is delayed, leading to a continued use of the Futenma base, then the original aim of easing the burden and removing the danger of the air station will not be achieved.

Prompted by Nakaima, Hatoyama clearly said Sunday, "I have no intention of this being the end."

Hatoyama must first rebuild his credibility among the Okinawa people, no matter how long it takes. Using such opportunities as a meeting of the National Governors' Association on Thursday, the prime minister must persuade the entire nation to share Okinawa's burden.

It is a rocky road, but there is no other way to break the impasse.

--The Asahi Shimbun, May 24