Governor Tamaki has first conference with Prime Minister Abe since assuming office

Governor Tamaki has first conference with Prime Minister Abe since assuming office

Governor Denny Tamaki (left) and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (right)


 

October 12, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo online edition

 

On the afternoon of October 12 at the Kantei, the prime minister’s official residence, for the first time since he assumed office Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki had a conference with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

At the beginning of the conference Governor Tamaki reiterated that Okinawans’ popular will says that they cannot accept the construction of the Futernma replacement facility in Henoko, and expressed his own opposition to construction of the facility.

He went on to say: “The burden of the security treaty is an issue borne by the country as a whole. I hope [the central government] will promptly prepare an occasion on which to discuss this, with the understanding that it is a democratic issue.”

In addition, Governor Tamaki requested a meeting of the Futenma Air Station Burden Reduction Promotion Council, and a conference with the United States.

He said, “Regardless of construction in Henoko, MCAS Futenma should be returned within the five-year period.”

Prime Minister Abe spoke about the high concentration of U.S. bases on Okinawa.

He said: “It is not something of which I can approve. As I embrace prefectural citizens’s sentiments, I hope to steadily reduce the base burden step by step.”

 

(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)

 

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