Suga, Onaga hold talks over relocation of U.S. Futenma base in Okinawa

NAHA, OKINAWA PREF. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga failed to bridge their differences over the relocation plan for a contentious U.S. air base Sunday in Naha as the standoff between the central and Okinawa governments continued to roil the prefecture.

The talks are the first between Suga, Prime Minister Shinzo Abes right-hand man, and Onaga since he became governor in December with a pledge to block the plan to build a replacement facility for the base in a coastal area of Nago. The base is currently in the city of Ginowan.

At the meeting, which was partly open to reporters, Suga repeated the central governments position that the relocation plan is the only solution when considering several factors, including Japans defense alliance with the United States and the need to alleviate the risk of accidents posed by the existing base.

But Onaga stuck to his guns, saying he was convinced that the new base in Henoko can never be built.

You say we should shoulder (the burden of the base ) because (Futenma) is the most dangerous (one) in the world and its risks need to be removed, all the while causing the people of this prefecture great pain. Just saying that itself shows the decadence of politics in Japan.

Suga, who doubles as minister in charge of base burden issues in Okinawa, which hosts the bulk of U.S. forces in Japan, said he hopes to regain the trust of the Okinawa residents by working with the prefectural government, while reducing their hosting duties one step at a time.

In the meantime, Onaga again requested a meeting with Abe, who has snubbed the governor during his many visits to Tokyo since taking the post.

After the roughly one-hour meeting at a hotel in the prefectural capital, Suga tried to cast it in a positive light, telling reporters the occasion marked the first step in advancing consultations between the central and prefectural governments.

He also indicated his willingness to consider arranging a meeting between Abe and Onaga, saying he would proceed with the idea while listening to Okinawas views.

Onaga told reporters he will not backtrack on the base issue and will continue to engaging the central government on the issue.

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Suga, Onaga hold talks over relocation of U.S. Futenma base in Okinawa