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24 May 2010
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Japan backs down
The Wall Street Journal Asia, Monday, May 24, 2010
Japan backs down – Hatoyama allows U.S. Marine base on Okinawa, despite campaign promise – Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said he will accept a longstanding U.S. proposal for positioning American troops in Japan, removing a major source of friction between the two allies but raising the prospect of new domestic political troubles for the fragile ruling coalition. Mr. Hatoyama’s agreement to keep a large marine presence on Okinawa breaks one of the most prominent promises of his administration: to reduce significantly the American military footprint on the southern island. His eight-month-old government has tried in vain to persuade the U.S. to accept alternative locations, or to persuade local communities in other parts of Japan to host more U.S. troops. Conceding failure, a contrite Mr. Hatoyama traveled to Okinawa on Sunday and issued a public apology. “I was not able to keep my words,” he told the island’s disgruntled governor during a nationally televised meeting. “And for the difficulties that local people have had to experience, I would like to apologize to the Okinawa people.” He added, “This was a heartbreaking decision for me.” The prime minister now faces a difficult fight with opponents in Okinawa who have resolved to try block the plan.
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