Japan Relents on U.S. Base on Okinawa

25 May

Reneging on a prominent campaign promise, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama told outraged residents of Okinawa on Sunday that an American air base would be moved only to the north side of the island rather than off the island. The announcement, a victory for the Obama administration and a humiliating setback for Mr. Hatoyama, confirmed what the Japanese media had been reporting for weeks: that he would accept Washington’s demands to honor a 2006 agreement to move the United States Marine Air Station Futenma to the island’s less populated north. Irate crowds greeted his arrival on Okinawa on Sunday with bright yellow signs that said “Anger,” and showered him with jeering cries of “Go home!” And in Tokyo, opposition leaders and even members of his own governing coalition assailed him for having turned the relocation into a huge political issue, only to go back to the original agreement.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/world/asia/24japan.html?scp=2&sq=Japan&st=cse

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5 Responses to “Japan Relents on U.S. Base on Okinawa”

  1. jAyMiE May 26, 2010 at 11:44 AM #

    Why are they moving and American air base to the north side of the island rather than off the island?

  2. Jazmin May 26, 2010 at 9:53 PM #

    Great article Adrianna!!! I also wonder why they would move it?? Great and awesome job :D

  3. Malloяy May 31, 2010 at 1:32 PM #

    I agree with Jaymie, why are they moving to the north side?

  4. jeffreyp11 June 1, 2010 at 9:42 PM #

    I had the same article but neither of us can answer the question: Why would they move the base?

  5. amyhe1 June 2, 2010 at 7:03 PM #

    Good article, and i think they would move the base so it could be more secure from other people wanting to attack it. Good job still. :)

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