EDITORIAL: Okinawa base issue and the DPJ race

The proposed relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture has emerged as a key issue in the Democratic Party of Japan's leadership race to be held Tuesday.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who is seeking re-election as the ruling party's president, says Japan should abide by its agreement reached in May with the United States. The agreement essentially honors a 2006 bilateral accord that called for moving the facility to a location in the Henoko district of Nago in the same prefecture.

But Kan's contender, former DPJ Secretary-General Ichiro Ozawa, has promised to hold fresh talks on the issue with Okinawa Prefecture and the U.S. government.

The bulk of U.S. military bases in Japan are in Okinawa Prefecture, which places an excessive burden on the people living there. The Japan-U.S. security alliance naturally benefit everybody in this country equally. Thus, the challenge is for everyone to work together to try to reduce the burden facing the people of Okinawa Prefecture. The DPJ's leadership election should be an opportunity to renew national debate on this issue.

It is not easy, however, to find a solution to this intractable issue.

The governments of the two countries recently released a report on the results of experts' examinations of plans to build a facility that will take over the functions of the Futenma facility. The report mentioned two plans. One is to build two runways in a V-shaped configuration, which is being pushed by Washington. The other is a single runway, proposed by Tokyo. The latter would require a smaller area of landfill.

Choosing one of the two plans without obtaining Okinawa's consent would further complicate the situation. Including both plans in the report was a realistic move, although it only serves to put off making a crucial decision.

Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine is opposed to accepting a new military facility of any kind. Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima has also said it is difficult to relocate the base to Henoko. The outcome of the prefecture's gubernatorial election in November could effectively make the relocation impossible.

Ozawa had a point in saying a new formula should be explored if there is little hope that the agreement between the two countries will be executed. But Ozawa has yet to offer a specific idea or a road map to a solution. He only claims he is confident that a plan acceptable to both Okinawa and Washington will be worked out.

If there had really been such a brilliant idea, the previous administration of former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, whom Ozawa supported as party secretary-general, would not have dithered and waffled on the issue for nine months. Ozawa, who says Japan should be more assertive in its diplomacy, may intend to propose directly to the U.S. government that the Futenma base be moved out of Japan.

We fear that the mutual trust that exists between the two countries would be damaged by making such a proposal to Washington. This approach would require huge conceptual power and, more than anything else, an unshakable resolution.

Ozawa has repeatedly made remarks that downplay the necessity of a huge U.S. military presence in Japan. He has said the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet is sufficient military presence. He has also said if Japan's Self-Defense Forces perform their functions properly, the role of U.S. forces stationed in Japan could be reduced. Ozawa must describe his overall vision for Japan's security and the kind of role he expects the bilateral security alliance to play.

Whatever step the government may take to settle the Futenma issue, it must be based on mutual trust with Okinawa. Kan is right in promising to make every effort to ease the burden on Okinawa immediately, even before a solution is found. But he can't be convincing unless he offers specific measures.

The DPJ has been avoiding serious debate among party members on key diplomatic and security issues out of a fear of creating a rift within the party. The presidential election offers a great opportunity for the party to solidify its policy platform.

We want to hear in-depth debate fit for an election that will effectively choose the prime minister. This should cover not only where to relocate the Futenma base but also broader issues such as the course of Japanese diplomacy and the future of Japan's national security and the Japan-U.S. alliance.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 5