US and Japan delay Marines’ relocation

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. and Japan say they will press ahead with plans to relocate a U.S. Marine air station on Okinawa but have pushed back the deadline amid opposition to the plans in both countries.

The announcement was made after high-level security talks Tuesday in which the two governments also agreed to share missile defense technology with allies—an exception to Japan’s strict policy of barring exports of weaponry.

The delay in the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on the southern island of Okinawa had been widely anticipated. Japan’s government has failed to win the assent needed from residents there, although the plans aim to reduce the U.S. military footprint on the island that hosts more than half of the 47,000 American troops in Japan.

A joint statement said the relocation would be completed at the “earliest possible date” after 2014, the original deadline.

A statement from Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo yesterday commends the adoption of what she describes as a more responsible timeline that will help local businesses better to prepare and minimize the burden on local infrastructure.

“It is important to highlight that both [Japan and U.S.] governments remain firmly committed to the Guam International Agreement and the process for U.S. realigning forces in the Pacific. Undoubtedly there are difficult issues that remain to be resolved, but abandoning the current plans and starting from scratch would only delay a process that has taken over 15 years. I commend the group for coming to the same conclusion that many in Congress and Guam came to many years ago with regards to the unrealistic 2014 timeline completion date. I think the group has outlined a more responsible timeframe for achieving tangible progress for a Futenma Replacement Facility and movement of Marines to Guam. This more responsible timeline will help our local businesses better prepare to support the military buildup as well as minimize burdens to our local infrastructure.”

Guam Sen. Rory J. Respicio, majority leader and chairman of the Committee of Federal, Foreign & Micronesian Affairs, echoed similar sentiments.

“As we in the Guam Legislature expected, and as we stated in Resolution 30-275 passed by the 30th Legislature on Feb. 11, 2010, the 2014 target date for the buildup has never been realistic, and in fact, would have been impossible to meet. The move was further complicated by the lack of funding for this massive military move from Okinawa to Guam.

“Unfortunately, certain sectors in our community, including the Joint Guam Program Office, refused to face this reality, and over-promoted the buildup, causing many businesses to over-speculate. I am confident that this buildup will take place and in a manner that is more realistic given the financial situation of both the United States and Japan. Congress should continue to demand that the Department of Defense provide reasonable and measurable goals, so that the government of Guam can adequately prepare.

“The U.S.-Japan talks have added a more sensible and realistic perspective to what is possible, given Japan’s disaster recovery and fiscal constraints on the U.S. Treasury. Planned, measured, logical and organized growth is what has always been needed. This buildup needs more than just money to happen, it requires careful, sensible, structured growth, and all factors must be considered. This all must be provided for in a master plan, which DoD has yet to complete and submit to Congress.”

The talks involving U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, underscored an alliance that they declared is “indispensable to the peace, stability, and economic prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.”

They touched on a wide range of global and regional security concerns, including North Korea’s nuclear program and Afghanistan, but also highlighted an issue that complicated their relationship.

Kitazawa described opinions on Okinawa over the air station relocation as “very harsh.” He told a news conference that Japan would make its best efforts to gain the understanding of Okinawa’s governor and residents — many of whom resent the presence of U.S. forces because of pollution, noise and crime associated with military bases.

Gates urged Japan to move quickly.

Referring to the demands of an influential group of U.S. senators who have moved to freeze U.S. funding for the relocation, Gates said that reflected “impatience with the lack of progress.” He said he had emphasized to Japan the importance of concrete progress over the next year.

One of the senators, Democrat Jim Webb, said in a statement that Tuesday’s decisions were predictable. He said the extensive delay in the relocation underscored the importance of reorganizing U.S. military basing “in a more realistic manner for the good of our alliance and for our strategic posture in East Asia.”

The U.S. and Japan confirmed plans, spelled out in a 2006 agreement, for Marine air operations to be shifted to a less crowded part of Okinawa, where a new airfield would be built. Some 8,000 Marines would also be shifted to the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. They also confirmed their commitment to fund it. Japan is to foot much of the multibillion dollar bill.