Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NAHA56
2006-03-07 08:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Naha
Cable title:
GOJ TAKING HARD LINE WITH OKINAWAN OFFICIALS ON FUTENMA
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAHA 000056
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR PINS JA
SUBJECT: GOJ TAKING HARD LINE WITH OKINAWAN OFFICIALS ON FUTENMA
REPLACEMENT FACILITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAHA 000056
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR PINS JA
SUBJECT: GOJ TAKING HARD LINE WITH OKINAWAN OFFICIALS ON FUTENMA
REPLACEMENT FACILITY
1. (SBU) Summary: Newly-elected Nago City Mayor Yoshikazu
Shimabukuro said he had a disappointing dinner March 6 with
Japan Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga.
Shimabukuro said Nukaga refused to discuss agreed plan to
relocate a Marine air station to Nago City, deflecting
conversation to the economic benefits the GOJ would offer if
locals would accept the plan "as is." Shimabukuro was left
frustrated by his inability to engage the GOJ on the details of
this politically-loaded facility relocation. End summary.
2. (SBU) Following newspaper reports of a meeting between Japan
Defense Agency (JDA) Director General Fukushiro Nukaga and three
northern Okinawa mayors, we contacted Nago City Mayor Yoshikazu
Shimabukuro. Note: Shimabukuro was elected in January on a
nuanced platform regarding the relocation of Marine Corps Air
Station (MCAS) Futenma to the Henoko area of Nago City. While
Shimabukuro opposed the specific plan outlined in the October
2005 Alliance Transformation and Realignment Agreement (ATARA)
report, he had indicated flexibility with regard to an amended
proposal. Most Okinawans viewed this as de facto acceptance of
relocating MCAS Futenma to Camp Schwab, on the rural east coast
of Nago City, albeit with local interests factored in. End note.
3. (SBU) Shimabukuro said he, Kin Town Mayor Tsuyoshi Gibu and
Higashi Village Mayor Shigeru Miyagi sought the meeting with
Nukaga to discuss potential changes to the ATARA plan for
replacing MCAS Futenma. Before the mayors went to Tokyo, Diet
Member and JDA Vice Minister Chiken Kakazu had asked them to
leave to him all negotiations with the GOJ on behalf of northern
Okinawa, his electoral district. The mayors were skeptical,
however, as Kakazu's efforts so far had appeared unsuccessful.
They decided they had to try to do something. The secretary
general of the Northern Development Council (Hokubu Shinko
Kyogikai) accompanied the mayors to their meeting with Nukaga.
4. (SBU) Nukaga and DFAA Director General Iwao Kitahara
listened briefly to the Okinawans' concerned, Shimabukuro said,
before changing the subject. Nukaga said the GOJ would listen
to local requests, but the implementation talks for the ATARA
report were already underway between the GOJ and the USG. Thus,
Nukaga concluded, he hoped he could attain their understanding
for the coastal plan. Nukaga then shifted the discussion to
what the GOJ could offer Nago City, such as a new
obstetrician/gynecologist for the Nago Hospital. The mayors
were frustrated by the meeting, Shimabukuro said, and Nukaga's
avoidance of any deep discussion of how the GOJ would
incorporate local concerns about the new air station into
implementation of the ATARA report.
NAHA 00000056 002 OF 002
5. (SBU) Comment/Conclusion: Conservative Okinawan politicians
have been telling us for months that Shimabukuro's election, and
modifying the location of the replacement facility for MCAS
Futenma just enough to reduce or eliminate flights over
residential areas, were the keys to local acceptance of the
plan. Shimabukuro himself told us he had to see some change to
justify accepting a partially on-shore location. His readout of
the mayors' meeting with JDA was the latest first-person account
we have heard here of local officials feeling stiff-armed by the
GOJ.
REICH
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR PINS JA
SUBJECT: GOJ TAKING HARD LINE WITH OKINAWAN OFFICIALS ON FUTENMA
REPLACEMENT FACILITY
1. (SBU) Summary: Newly-elected Nago City Mayor Yoshikazu
Shimabukuro said he had a disappointing dinner March 6 with
Japan Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga.
Shimabukuro said Nukaga refused to discuss agreed plan to
relocate a Marine air station to Nago City, deflecting
conversation to the economic benefits the GOJ would offer if
locals would accept the plan "as is." Shimabukuro was left
frustrated by his inability to engage the GOJ on the details of
this politically-loaded facility relocation. End summary.
2. (SBU) Following newspaper reports of a meeting between Japan
Defense Agency (JDA) Director General Fukushiro Nukaga and three
northern Okinawa mayors, we contacted Nago City Mayor Yoshikazu
Shimabukuro. Note: Shimabukuro was elected in January on a
nuanced platform regarding the relocation of Marine Corps Air
Station (MCAS) Futenma to the Henoko area of Nago City. While
Shimabukuro opposed the specific plan outlined in the October
2005 Alliance Transformation and Realignment Agreement (ATARA)
report, he had indicated flexibility with regard to an amended
proposal. Most Okinawans viewed this as de facto acceptance of
relocating MCAS Futenma to Camp Schwab, on the rural east coast
of Nago City, albeit with local interests factored in. End note.
3. (SBU) Shimabukuro said he, Kin Town Mayor Tsuyoshi Gibu and
Higashi Village Mayor Shigeru Miyagi sought the meeting with
Nukaga to discuss potential changes to the ATARA plan for
replacing MCAS Futenma. Before the mayors went to Tokyo, Diet
Member and JDA Vice Minister Chiken Kakazu had asked them to
leave to him all negotiations with the GOJ on behalf of northern
Okinawa, his electoral district. The mayors were skeptical,
however, as Kakazu's efforts so far had appeared unsuccessful.
They decided they had to try to do something. The secretary
general of the Northern Development Council (Hokubu Shinko
Kyogikai) accompanied the mayors to their meeting with Nukaga.
4. (SBU) Nukaga and DFAA Director General Iwao Kitahara
listened briefly to the Okinawans' concerned, Shimabukuro said,
before changing the subject. Nukaga said the GOJ would listen
to local requests, but the implementation talks for the ATARA
report were already underway between the GOJ and the USG. Thus,
Nukaga concluded, he hoped he could attain their understanding
for the coastal plan. Nukaga then shifted the discussion to
what the GOJ could offer Nago City, such as a new
obstetrician/gynecologist for the Nago Hospital. The mayors
were frustrated by the meeting, Shimabukuro said, and Nukaga's
avoidance of any deep discussion of how the GOJ would
incorporate local concerns about the new air station into
implementation of the ATARA report.
NAHA 00000056 002 OF 002
5. (SBU) Comment/Conclusion: Conservative Okinawan politicians
have been telling us for months that Shimabukuro's election, and
modifying the location of the replacement facility for MCAS
Futenma just enough to reduce or eliminate flights over
residential areas, were the keys to local acceptance of the
plan. Shimabukuro himself told us he had to see some change to
justify accepting a partially on-shore location. His readout of
the mayors' meeting with JDA was the latest first-person account
we have heard here of local officials feeling stiff-armed by the
GOJ.
REICH