MCAS Futenma to remain on Okinawa

Airplanes are seen on the tarmac of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Japan, in June 2006. Japan and the United States issued a joint statement May 28 stating that Futenma would move to a less-populated area of Okinawa island, not entirely off the island as some residents had hoped.


MCAS Futenma to remain on Okinawa
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday May 27, 2010 21:43:32 EDT

TOKYO — Washington and Tokyo have agreed to keep a contentious Marine Corps base on the Japanese island of Okinawa, reaffirming the importance of their security alliance and the need to maintain American troops in the country.

In a joint statement issued Friday, the allies said they had agreed to move Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Henoko, a less crowded part of the southern island. The decision is broadly in line with a 2006 deal, but represents a major broken campaign promise on the part of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

Hatoyama came to office in September promising to move the Marine base off the island. But after months of searching and fruitless discussions with Washington and Okinawan officials, the prime minister said the base needed to stay in Okinawa.

His decision has angered tens of thousands of island residents who complain about base-related noise, pollution and crime.

U.S. military officials and security experts argued it is essential that Futenma remain on Okinawa because its helicopters and air assets support Marine infantry units based on the island. Moving the facility off the island could slow the Marines’ coordination and response in times of emergency.