Okada claims air base merger plan was his idea

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said Thursday that the plan to integrate the functions of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station with U.S. Kadena Air Base was his idea.

However, as U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has rejected Okada's plan, it has little chance of being realized.

Okada's comments came during a meeting with Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima on the issue of relocating Futenma Air Station in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture.

"[The proposed integration] wasn't formulated by the government, I'm looking into the matter entirely on my own initiative," Okada said.

Okada added, "Noise pollution must be dealt with [as part of the integration] and I plan to discuss details with the U.S. side," indicating his recognition that reducing noise in neighboring municipalities, including Kadenacho and the city of Okinawa, would be a prerequisite for his envisaged integration.

Meanwhile, during a plenary session of the House of Councillors on Thursday, Okada said: "The remarks were made in my capacity as foreign minister. The Kadena merger proposal is a plan that can utilize existing runways, and I'm having it examined. I'd like to reach a conclusion as soon as possible."