Chiyomi Sumida / S&S Japan Self-Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga, left, meets with Gov. Keiichi Inamine on Friday. He urged Inamine to join in a council to discuss relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma facilities to Camp Schwab. (Chiyomi Sumida / S&S)
NAHA, Okinawa — A council of local Okinawa and national government officials soon will start meetings to discuss implementing a plan to move Marine Corps air operations from densely populated central Okinawa to a facility to be built on the island’s rural northeast coast.
Japan Defense Chief Fukushiro Nukaga on Friday said he and Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine have agreed to set up a council by the beginning of September. It will work on the details of relocating Marines from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan to the new base on Cape Henoko, on the lower part of Camp Schwab.
Council representatives will be from Tokyo, Okinawa prefecture and 12 local communities. Forming the group is the first step in planning for the new facility, which is to include two runways. The council also will negotiate economic incentives granted by Tokyo as the price to host the new military facility.
Persuading Inamine to participate is seen as a major breakthrough because he had opposed scrapping a now-dead plan to build a new airport in the same area some two miles offshore. However, Inamine said he might not take part.
The scrapped plan he approved had included an agreement to allow civilian use of the airport, which is not a part of the new plan. Inamine also had hoped to limit military use of the new airport to 15 years.
Nukaga’s meeting Friday with Inamine came on the first stop of a three-day tour of towns and bases on Okinawa. The United States and Japan agreed in May to build V-shaped double runways on Camp Schwab by 2014 as a part of the realignment of U.S. Forces in Japan. Inamine’s opposition effectively stalled proceeding to the design phase.
Inamine, who has chosen not to seek re-election in November, had suggested a large helipad built elsewhere on Camp Schwab would serve the needs of the Marines and avoid having to extend the planned runways onto landfill in the shallow waters of Oura Bay.
Nukaga told reporters it is necessary the council be launched at the “earliest possible time before expected changes in the government.”
Besides Inamine leaving office, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is expected to step down in September.
Nukaga said Tokyo would not reconsider Inamine’s helipad option.
“Our plan was approved by the Cabinet and was reached in the agreement with the United States,” he said. “At the same time, local communities have shown a certain degree of support for the plan.”
In a separate news conference, Inamine said that although the prefecture will take part in forming the council, he reserved a decision whether to participate in the discussions.
“If the council is a place to review only the Tokyo government’s proposed V-shape runway plan, we will not participate,” he said.
He held out hope the national government would change its mind on his helipad idea.
“When I can see the circumstances are satisfactory, I will join in the discussions,” he said.
