Governors establish council body for nationwide discussion of Okinawa base burden reduction

Governors establish council body for nationwide discussion of Okinawa base burden reduction

The NGA Special Committee for General Strategies and Government Oversight discussing Okinawa’s overlarge share of the base burden at the Todofuken Kaikan in Chiyoda, Tokyo, at 10:30 a.m. on July 14.


July 14, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo

On July 14, a meeting of the National Governors’ Association (NGA) Special Committee for General Strategies and Government Oversight opened in Tokyo. At the meeting, the Special Committee agreed to establish a council body to discuss reduction of Okinawa’s base burden. An official decision on the matter will be made between July 27 and 29 at an NGA meeting in Fukuoka Prefecture.

Okinawa’s base problems became a topic of discussion at the Special Committee meeting. Vice-governor of Okinawa, Isho Urasaki, explained the historical background that formed Okinawa’s overlarge share of U.S. military bases and the current condition of U.S. bases. He requested the establishment of a place at which to discuss U.S. base issues as nationwide concerns. No dissenting opinion was presented. Details regarding the establishment of such a place are to be worked out by the time of the NGA meeting in late July, and already the Association is moving toward officially founding one.

After the Special Committee meeting, Vice-Governor Urasaki said, “Our whole nation should consider the U.S.-Japan relationship and related matters.” He hopefully mentioned that, “It will be good if each step [we take] is progress in a positive direction.”

(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)

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