Upper house panel seeks to ease Okinawa’s burden of hosting U.S. bases
15:59 JST, April 28, 2022
A resolution calling on the government to reduce the burden on Okinawa Prefecture of hosting U.S. bases has been approved by a House of Councillors committee.
The upper house’s Special Committee on Official Development Assistance and Related Matters as well as Okinawa and Northern Problems approved the resolution on Wednesday, ahead of the 50th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan on May 15. It was strongly backed by the ruling and opposition parties, with the exception of the Japanese Communist Party.
The resolution referred to the concentration of U.S. military bases in Okinawa Prefecture and urged the government to make efforts to scale down the bases and realize the early return of the land they occupy.
A nonpartisan group of Diet members was also launched Wednesday to support a commemorative ceremony to be held simultaneously in Okinawa Prefecture and Tokyo on May 15. The group had its inaugural meeting at the Diet Building on the day.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel visited Okinawa on Wednesday for the first time since assuming his post, and exchanged views with Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki about reducing the burden of hosting U.S. bases.
"Politics" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Promotes Revised NISA Investment Program to Young People; Kishida Focusing on Moving Money From Savings to Investment in a Safe Environment
-
“High Probability” 2 MSDF Patrol Helicopters Collided near Torishima Island; 1 Dead, 7 Others Onboard Missing (Update 2)
-
Russia to Ban Non-Registered Vessels from Waters Around Northern Territories From April 11 to 17
-
Japan-U.K. Foreign Ministers Confirm Deepening Cooperation in Security Field; Kamikawa Underscores Importance of NATO Ties
-
Japan Ruling Party Struggles in ‘Kingdom of Conservatives’; Liberal Democratic Party Battered By Fundraising Scandal
JN ACCESS RANKING
- China Mutes Memorialization of Reformer Hu Yaobang; Memories Could Spark Critique of Xi Administration
- Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
- U.S. 7th Fleet officer Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing Sushi, Sashimi, Chicken at Kanagawa Shopping Mall; Suspect Caught Mid-Meal
- UNRWA Director Describes Catastrophic Destruction in Gaza; Says Relief Trucks Robbed, ‘People’s Hearts Destroyed’
- JAL Airplane Experiences Radio Malfunction During Flight, Lands Safely By Relying on Light Signals