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Japan PM Hatoyama: wants US base moved by 2014
Source: Agencies |
December 16, 2009, Wednesday
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JAPANESE Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said today he wanted a controversial plan to move a US military base on the southern island of Okinawa completed by 2014, in line with a 2006 agreement with Washington.
Hatoyama had said yesterday he needed several more months to discuss alternative locations for the base with his party's two coalition allies, fuelling concerns the plan could be delayed, possibly affecting ties with Washington.
The top US Marine officer said earlier today that Hatoyama's decision to spend a few months discussing alternative locations for the Futenma Marine base was "unfortunate".
The existing deal was reached after years of negotiations and is part of a complex web of changes, including shifting up to 8,000 Marines to Guam.
"Our agreement with the United States is to complete the move by 2014," Hatoyama told reporters.
"We have several months to look for a site and both the ruling coalition and the government are conducting research to reach a conclusion," he said.
He added that he believed it would be possible to reach a conclusion more quickly than in the past.
Hatoyama had said yesterday he needed several more months to discuss alternative locations for the base with his party's two coalition allies, fuelling concerns the plan could be delayed, possibly affecting ties with Washington.
The top US Marine officer said earlier today that Hatoyama's decision to spend a few months discussing alternative locations for the Futenma Marine base was "unfortunate".
The existing deal was reached after years of negotiations and is part of a complex web of changes, including shifting up to 8,000 Marines to Guam.
"Our agreement with the United States is to complete the move by 2014," Hatoyama told reporters.
"We have several months to look for a site and both the ruling coalition and the government are conducting research to reach a conclusion," he said.
He added that he believed it would be possible to reach a conclusion more quickly than in the past.
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