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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 11 TOKYO 001903 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA 
WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST 
DIVISION; TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS 
OFFICE; SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN, 
DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA 
FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY 
ADVISOR; CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 04/10/06-1 
 
INDEX: 
 
Defense issues: 
 
(1) Nago mayor OK's V-shaped airstrips for Futenma relocation 
 
(2) Nago mayor accepts V-shaped runways for Futenma alternative 
airfield 
 
(3) Tokyo, Nago agree to lay down 2 tarmacs on new airfield for 
Futenma 
 
(4) Chronology of Futenma events 
 
(5) Gov't, Okinawa to continue talks over Futenma relocation 
 
(6) Washington not to oppose Tokyo's remodified relocation plan 
 
(7) Tokyo gives first consideration to feasibility, but barriers 
still ahead 
 
(8) Gov't, Nago give way to each other on Futenma relocation plan 
 
(9) Futenma accord between JDA chief, Nago mayor unexpected to 
Okinawa Gov. Inamine 
 
(10) Nago mayor's acceptance of 2 runways 'out of the blue' to 
governor 
 
(11) JDA chief asks Okinawa governor for understanding on new 
airstrip plan 
 
(12) JDA chief meets Okinawa governor, asks for understanding on 
remodified plan 
 
(13) Gov't mulls subsidizing localities hosting US bases 
 
(14) Okinawa governor rejects 2 runways plan 
 
(15) Okinawa governor opposed to airstrip plan 
 
(16) Okinawa governor rejects new airstrip proposal over Futenma 
relocation, Tokyo to push for relocation with Nago's consent as 
leverage 
 
(17) Runway direction changed at 11th hour 
 
(18) Pentagon wants Tokyo to share Guam relocation cost 
 
(19) US missile cruiser to be deployed to Yokosuka in August 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Nago mayor accept new proposal on Futenma relocation, agrees 
to build two runways in V-shape 
 
SANKEI (Top Play) (Excerpt) 
April 8, 2006 
 
Defense Agency (JDA) Director General Fukushiro Nukaga and Nago 
Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro met in the JDA building yesterday and 
agreed to build two runways in a V-shape to prevent US military 
aircraft from flying over residential areas. The deal has ended a 
 
TOKYO 00001903  002 OF 011 
 
 
bitter battle over the relocation of the heliport functions of 
the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, one of the major 
obstacles facing the Japanese and US government in finalizing the 
US military realignment in Japan. 
 
(2) Gov't, Nago agree on V-shaped runways 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Abridged) 
April 8, 2006 
 
The Defense Agency and the city of Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, 
basically agreed yesterday to build two runways in a V-shape at 
the site of a new airfield to be built in the city as an 
alternative for the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in 
Ginowan. The Japanese and US governments had agreed in October 
last year to relocate the heliport functions of Futenma airfield 
to an area across the cape of Henoko in the northern coastal 
city, a major issue pending in their ongoing talks over the 
realignment of US forces in Japan. The Japanese government will 
incorporate this plan in a final report to be shortly released 
with the US government on their realignment talks. Japan and the 
United States agreed in 1996 on the return of Futenma airfield. 
About 10 years later, however, the airfield has yet to be 
returned to Japan. The two governments will now likely move ahead 
for the return of Futenma airfield. 
 
Defense Agency Director General Nukaga and Nago Mayor Yoshikazu 
Shimabukuro reached the agreement after meeting for about four 
hours at the Defense Agency. 
 
"The city of Nago agreed (to the government's Futenma relocation 
plan), and it's a landmark," Nukaga told a joint press conference 
following the meeting. "I want to do my best to maintain our 
overall deterrence and alleviate the burden," the defense chief 
added. Shimabukuro also said, "I'm very glad that the city's 
standpoint has been accepted." The mayor added, "I will explain 
this (to the city's local population), and then I want to obtain 
consent." 
 
The agreed plan is to build two runways in the shape of a V from 
the southwest to the northeast in the almost same area as planned 
to be reclaimed at both ends from the sea and to lay down the new 
airfield across the cape of Henoko. Aircraft and choppers will 
come from the southwest in their landing approach but will use 
another clockwise runway in their takeoff. This will make it 
possible for US warplanes-at least under their visual flight rule 
(VFR)-to avoid flying over the city's residential areas as 
desired by the city's local communities concerned about safety. 
 
"We presented this V-shaped-runway plan to our US counterparts," 
a government official said yesterday evening. "They consented to 
the plan, so we showed it to the city of Nago," the official 
added. Nukaga, however, suggested the need for the Japanese 
government to talk about details with the US government, although 
Tokyo has obtained Washington's basic understanding. Nukaga also 
said the government would set up a consultative body with Nago 
and other base-hosting municipalities to proceed with local 
coordination over the plan's feasibility and economic promotional 
packages. 
 
However, Okinawa Governor Keiichi Inamine remains committed to 
opposing the Henoko coastal relocation plan. Inamine will visit 
Tokyo today to meet with Nukaga and oppose the plan. 
 
TOKYO 00001903  003 OF 011 
 
 
 
(3) Futenma relocation: Government, Nago agree on two-runway plan 
to remove residential areas from flight path 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
April 8, 2006 
 
Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga held talks with 
Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro at the Defense Agency on April 7 
to discuss a plan to relocate the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air 
Station from Ginowan to the coastline of Camp Schwab in Nago. As 
a result, the two reached an agreement on building two runways, 
one for takeoffs and the other for landings. Shimabukuro agreed 
to the government's revised plan presented by Nukaga designed to 
remove residential areas from the flight path. The government 
intends to produce a final US force realignment plan with 
Washington after conducting senior-working-level talks on April 
13-14 and cabinet-level talks later this month. 
 
The revised plan agreed on by the government and Nago is designed 
to build two runways in a V-shape. The main runway to be built by 
turning the direction of the government plan's runway slightly 
counterclockwise will be used for takeoffs and landings in good 
visibility and landings in poor visibility. The other runway to 
be built further offshore by slightly modifying the government's 
plan will be mainly used for takeoffs in bad weather. 
 
Main points agreed upon on the Futenma relocation plan 
 
¶1.   The flight paths will avoid the skies over the Henoko, 
Toyohara, and Abu districts in Nago. 
 
¶2.   In determining the construction site based on the 
government's plan, consideration will be given to: (a) the safety 
of the residents near the new airfield; (b) natural conservation; 
and (c) the feasibility of the construction project. 
 
¶3.   Affected local governments, including the Okinawa 
prefectural and Nago municipal governments, will earnestly 
continue talks on the construction plan. 
 
¶4.   Prior to making a cabinet decision on a Japan-US agreement 
on the realignment of US forces in Japan, the government will 
hold talks with Okinawa, Nago, and other municipalities. 
 
(4) Chronology of Futenma events 
 
ASAHI (Page 2) (Full) 
April 8, 2006 
 
September 1995: A local schoolgirl was raped by US servicemen. 
 
April 1996: Prime Minister Hashimoto and US Ambassador to Japan 
Mondale agreed on the return of Futenma airfield. 
 
November 1997: The government presented Nago City, Okinawa, with 
a plan to build a sea-based heliport as an alternative to take 
over the heliport functions of Futenma airfield. 
 
December 1997: Nago City polled its residents over whether to 
accept the government-proposed sea-based heliport construction 
plan. (In the plebiscite, anti- and conditionally anti-heliport 
votes accounted for 53%, with pro- and conditionally pro-heliport 
 
TOKYO 00001903  004 OF 011 
 
 
votes accounting for 45%.) Nago Mayor Tetsuya Higa accepted the 
sea-based heliport plan and resigned. 
 
February 1998: Okinawa Gov. Masahide Ota rejected the sea-based 
heliport plan. Nago City's Deputy Mayor Tateo Kishimoto elected 
Nago mayor. 
 
November 1998: Keiichi Inamine became Okinawa Prefecture's new 
governor with a campaign pledge to precondition his acceptance of 
Futenma relocation to a site in Okinawa Prefecture on building a 
dual-purpose airport for joint military and civilian use. 
 
November 1999: Gov. Inamine designated an area off the coast of 
Henoko, Nago City, for Futenma relocation. 
 
July 2002: An alternative facility conference (consisting of the 
Japanese government, Okinawa prefectural government, and local 
municipalities) adopted a basic plan to build a 2,500-meter 
facility at a reclamation site in waters off Henoko. 
 
August 2004: A US military helicopter crashed onto the campus of 
Okinawa International University. 
 
October 2005: Nago Mayor Kishimoto clarified that he would not 
run for a third term. The Japanese and US governments agreed to 
relocate Futenma airfield to a coastal area across the cape of 
Henoko in Nago. 
 
January 2006: Yoshikazu Shimabukuro elected Nago mayor. 
 
March 2006: Defense Agency Director General Nukaga and Nago city 
officials, including Mayor Shimabukuro, began consultations to 
retouch the Henoko coastal relocation plan. 
 
April 2006: The Defense Agency and Nago City reached a basic 
agreement. 
 
(5) Futenma relocation: Gov't, Okinawa to continue talks; Gov. 
Inamine rejects remodified plan 
 
MAINICHI (Page 1) (Abridged) 
April 9, 2006 
 
Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga and Okinawa 
Prefecture's Governor Keiichi Inamine met yesterday. In the 
meeting, Inamine indicated that he could not accept the 
government's plan to relocate the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air 
Station to a coastal area of Camp Schwab in the city of Nago, 
Okinawa Prefecture, while the government and the city's mayor 
have now agreed to remodify the plan. "Okinawa Prefecture will 
continue to uphold its stance," Inamine told Nukaga in the 
meeting. At the same time, however, Inamine also said he would 
respect the city's judgment. With this, the governor showed some 
understanding. He also implied that there was some room to give 
way to the government, saying, "We will continue talks with the 
government." 
 
(6) Futenma relocation: US not opposed to remodified plan 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
Eve., April 8, 2006 
 
Aya Igarashi, Washington 
 
TOKYO 00001903  005 OF 011 
 
 
 
The Japanese government and the city of Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, 
have now concurred on a remodified plan to relocate the US Marine 
Corps' Futenma Air Station to the city. In response to the 
concurrence, US State Department Spokesman McCormack met the 
press on April 7 and revealed that the US Defense Department was 
now checking to see if there would be problems from the 
perspective of US military operations. "The Department of Defense 
is now studying the proposal from Japan," McCormack said. 
 
The Pentagon will not oppose the remodified plan, taking the 
position that it would not substantially affect the Japanese and 
US governments' agreement of October last year and that the local 
agreement will improve the plan's feasibility. 
 
(7) Commentary: Feasibility considered, challenges still in store 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) 
April 8, 2006 
 
The government sought feasibility, with the city of Nago 
insisting on the safety of its residents. Tokyo and Nago 
basically agreed yesterday on a plan to build two V-shaped 
runways as the kind of greatest common denominator between the 
two sides to take over the heliport functions of Futenma 
airfield. 
 
The Defense Agency stuck to its land-based plan in order to 
heighten the feasibility of construction. The government had 
initially planned to build a sea-based facility off the coast of 
Henoko. However, this offshore installation plan suffered a 
setback in the face of local opposition. The government therefore 
did not want to be frustrated again. The sea-based heliport plan 
foundered on local protests out at sea. 
 
Meanwhile, Nago strongly called for moving the planned facility 
to a site at sea. Eventually, however, the government gave up on 
an offshore installation. The agreed plan will avoid flying over 
residential areas. Yet, there are still questions, such as how to 
ensure that US warplanes fly along their flight paths. In 
addition, some government officials are also concerned about 
noise pollution. Laying down an additional runway will result in 
enlarging the acreage of land reclamation from the sea, which 
could also bring about environmental damage. For instance, 
dugongs will lose the underwater forest of seaweed they depend 
on. 
 
"The government gave first consideration to the safety of local 
residents in their daily lives, and we didn't make light of the 
environment," Nukaga stressed. However, such an account is 
unconvincing. Furthermore, the cost of construction will also 
balloon. 
 
In the meantime, Okinawa Prefecture's Governor Keiichi Inamine 
has called for the government to build a dual-use airfield for 
joint military-civilian use and set a 15-year time limit on the 
US military's use of the newly planned facility in order to 
prevent the new base from becoming permanent. The agreed plan, 
however, fails to guarantee these points. The governor is not 
expected to accept the remodified plan. 
 
Gov. Inamine has authority for coastal reclamation off the cape 
of Henoko. This reclamation work is expected to start in several 
 
TOKYO 00001903  006 OF 011 
 
 
years' time. However, the government, should it fail to obtain 
the Okinawa prefectural government's understanding, will likely 
move ahead for special legislation intended to transfer coastal 
reclamation authority from the governor to Tokyo. Such a move 
could likely cause Tokyo and Okinawa to square off again. 
 
(8) On Futenma relocation, JDA chief, Nago mayor reach compromise 
agreement complying with calls for both coastal base and one that 
avoids residential areas 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
April 8, 2006 
 
The deal, reached between Defense Agency (JDA) Director General 
Fukushiro Nukaga and Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro in Tokyo 
yesterday, complies with both sides' positions by constructing 
two runways. 
 
Nukaga's call was for constructing an alternative heliport on the 
coast line of Camp Schwab as agreed on between Japan and the US. 
Meanwhile, Shimabukuro's assertion was that a runway should be 
built on reclaimed land with the aim of avoiding noise pollution 
in nearby residential areas and also of producing economic 
benefits to the local economy. To comply with both sides' 
desires, the government came up with the new plan. 
 
(9) Okinawa Gov. Inamine: Futenma agreement between central 
government, Nago City wholly unexpected 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 26) (Excerpts) 
April 8, 2006 
 
A plan to relocate the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, 
which is surrounded by residential areas, is now about to get 
underway. Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga and 
Nago Mayor Shimabukuro agreed on the night of April 7 to build 
two runways in a V-shape at the planned heliport on the coast of 
Camp Schwab. Shimabukuro said, "My city's opinion was accepted." 
Okinawa Gov. Kenichi Inamine, however, showed a firm expression, 
saying, "It was wholly unexpected." Okinawa Prefecture, which has 
suffered from US bases, is being shaken by the sudden agreement 
between the central government and the Nago City. 
 
At a press conference held at the Defense Agency, Shimabukuro 
said, "I'm paying my respects to the defense chief," and the two 
shook hands. They believe that using separate takeoff and landing 
runaways will be able to prevent US military aircraft from flying 
over residential areas. 
 
Inamine told reporters, "I will maintain my previous stance." He 
expressed that there was no change in his position that unless 
the Futenma base is relocated to an offshore airfield to be built 
on a reclaimed land, the base should be moved from Okinawa. 
 
Miyagi Minoru, 67, director of Nago City's Toyohara Ward, located 
under the flight rout, said, while watching the news on TV: "I 
was surprised at the idea of building two runaways. I'm glad that 
the flight rout was changed in consideration of the safety of 
citizens." He then continued: "I don't think US military aircraft 
will take that rout. I would like specific explanations from the 
mayor when he returns home. I will then make a judgment." 
 
(10) Okinawa governor takes Nago government's agreement as 
 
TOKYO 00001903  007 OF 011 
 
 
"unexpected" 
 
SANKEI (Page 1) (Full) 
April 8, 2006 
 
Hearing the news of the Nago municipal government's agreement on 
a revised plan on the relocation of the Futenma Air Station, 
Okinawa Governor Keiichi Inamine stated last night: "I would like 
to respect the independent decision of Nago." 
 
In a meeting with Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro 
Nukaga in Tokyo today, though, Governor Inamine is determined to 
say that he will not accept any plan other than the initial 
offshore plan, as he remarked, "I will convey my determination to 
maintain the prefecture's stance." The governor said: "Of 
importance is that the cabinet decision on the initial offshore 
plan was made through a lot of effort." He then commented that 
Nago municipal government's agreement was "unexpected." 
 
(11) Futenma relocation: Nukaga seeks Inamine's support for two- 
runway plan 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 1) (Abridged slightly) 
Evening, April 8, 2006 
 
Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga held talks with 
Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine at the agency around noon today. In 
the talks, the defense chief sought Inamine's understanding of a 
plan to build two runways in a V-shape, as was agreed upon with 
Nago. The new plan to build two runways requires land 
reclamation, for which the governor's approval is essential. 
Inamine is believed to have rejected the V-shaped runway plan. 
 
In his talks with Nago Mayor Yoshikazu Shimabukuro yesterday, 
Nukaga presented a modified Camp Schwab relocation plan out of 
concern for the sentiment of local residents who were worried 
about possible noise pollution. Nukaga won Shimabukuro's consent 
by promising that US aircraft would not fly over the Henoko, 
Toyohara, and Abu districts. 
 
But Inamine reiterated that he would not accept any plan other 
than the agreement reached in 1999 with the government to 
relocate the airfield to waters off Henoko, saying, "We will 
continue maintaining our previous stance." 
 
In the event the governor refuses to accept the new plan, the 
government may take a special legislative step to transfer powers 
from the governor to the state to use the surface of public 
waters. 
 
(12) Meeting with Okinawa governor, JDA chief seeks understanding 
for revised Futenma relocation plan 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Slightly abridged) 
Eve, April 8, 2006 
 
Defense Agency (JDA) Director General Nukaga met with Governor 
Keiichi Inamine at the JDA yesterday to discuss the issue of 
relocating the heliport functions of the US Marine Corps' Futenma 
Air Station in Ginowan to a coastal area of Camp Schwab in Nago. 
 
Following an agreement between Nukaga and Nago Mayor Yoshikazu 
Shimabukuro to place two runways at a US airfield to be built in 
 
TOKYO 00001903  008 OF 011 
 
 
the city, Nukaga spelled out the new agreed plan to Inamine. 
Without the agreement of the governor, the central government 
cannot reclaim public waters. Inamine, though, has expressed his 
opposition to this plan. 
 
Governor Inamine approved the government's initial plan to 
construct an offshore airport off the Henoko district of Nago, 
attaching such conditions as joint use of the base as a military- 
civilian airport and a 15-year time limit. The new proposal does 
not include these conditions. 
 
Inamine said in a press conference on the night of April 7: "I 
will stick to the plan to build the base farther offshore." Given 
this, the government is considering the possibility of arranging 
a meeting between Prime Minister Koizumi and Governor Inamine. 
 
(13) Government to consider new three-stage subsidy program for 
base-hosting local governments 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Excerpts) 
Evening, April 8, 2006 
 
In a bid to steadily implement a final report due out soon by the 
Japanese and US governments on the realignment of US forces in 
Japan, the government decided yesterday to set up a program to 
provide subsidies to local governments on which a heavier burden 
of the US military presence will inevitably be imposed as a 
result of US force realignment. 
 
The new subsidy program will be modeled after the one for local 
governments housing nuclear power plants. Under the new program, 
the government would pay subsidies in stages according to the 
progress of construction. Should construction work be delayed due 
to local opposition, payments would be frozen. The government 
intends to make the new program more detailed than the current 
system, introducing flexible calculation standards that would 
reflect increases in new facilities, units, and training. 
 
Under the current system, the government provides base-hosting 
local governments with base subsidies and compensatory subsidies. 
The government plans to add more to these and to adopt a three- 
stage payment formula that covers the environmental impact 
assessment, start of construction work, and beginning of facility 
operations. 
 
(14) Futenma relocation: Gov. Inamine objects to two-runway plan 
 
ASAHI (Top play) (Excerpt) 
Evening, April 8, 2006 
 
Following an agreement reached between the Defense Agency and 
Nago on a plan to relocate the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air 
Station from Ginowan, Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine held talks 
with Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga at the 
agency this morning. Inamine has the power to approve reclaiming 
land for building the envisaged runways. In his talks with the 
defense chief, Inamine is believed to have expressed his 
opposition to the plan, saying he could not accept the revised 
plan based on a Japan-US agreement reached last October to 
relocate Futenma Air Station to Cape Henoko in Nago. 
 
(15) Futenma relocation issue still unfinished; Okinawa governor 
opposes revised plan 
 
TOKYO 00001903  009 OF 011 
 
 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
April 9, 2006 
 
The issue of relocating US forces' Futenma heliport from Ginowan, 
Okinawa, has now entered a new phase with the government 
proposing a new plan for constructing two runways. Next on the 
agenda for a final agreement will be coordinating views with the 
governor, who has authority to approve the use of publicly owned 
waters, and settling the cost of relocating US Marines in Okinawa 
to Guam. 
 
Defense Agency (JDA) Director General Fukushiro Nukaga on April 8 
met with Okinawa Governor Keiichi Inamine and sought 
understanding from him for the new government plan to construct 
two landing strips in a V-shape on the Camp Schwab coast. Inamine 
replied that he could not accept the plan as the situation now 
stands, saying, "I will firmly maintain the prefecture's stance." 
 
He also noted: "I will respect Nago's independent judgment. The 
government has exclusive control over foreign and defense 
affairs." Some JDA officials took this comment as tacit approval. 
However, the governor is outwardly maintaining his usual stance 
of not approving any relocation plan other than the Henoko Point 
plan. 
 
Provided that the governor adamantly opposes the two-runway plan, 
the issue will emerge of how to deal with the governor's right to 
authorize the use of the public waters when proceeding with the 
construction plan. Chances are that if the talks between the 
government and the prefecture run into snags, calls for the 
enactment of a special measures law designed to transfer the 
right from the prefecture to the central government might grow 
among government and ruling party officials. 
 
(16) Okinawa governor opposes new proposal over Futenma 
relocation; Gov't to push for Futenma relocation, with Nago's 
consent as leverage 
 
SANKEI (Page 3) (Full) 
April 9, 2006 
 
Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga met with Okinawa 
Prefecture's Governor Keiichi Inamine yesterday at the Defense 
Agency over the planned relocation of the US Marine Corps' 
Futenma Air Station in the city of Ginowan, Okinawa. In the 
meeting, Nukaga asked for the governor's understanding on a 
remodified plan-which has now been agreed to by Nukaga and Nago 
City-to install two runways in the shape of V. Inamine, however, 
reiterated his rejection of any plan except the Henoko offing 
airstrip installation plan adopted in a 1999 cabinet meeting. "I 
will respect the (city's) decision but will firmly maintain the 
prefecture's stance," Inamine said. "The governor is not in a 
position to consider each single (facility)," Nukaga noted after 
the meeting. With this, the defense chief indicated that the 
government would continue talks with Okinawa to obtain its 
understanding on a package of realignment plans, including the 
relocation of US Marines from Okinawa to Guam. However, he also 
stressed that the government would push for Futenma relocation on 
the basis of its agreement with Nago City. 
 
Japan and the United States will hold a two-day session of 
intergovernmental consultations on April 13-14 over the 
 
TOKYO 00001903  010 OF 011 
 
 
realignment of US forces in Japan, with senior officials 
attending. On that occasion, the Japanese and US governments will 
discuss the issue of sharing the cost of moving Okinawa-based 
Marines to Guam. The two governments will continue working-level 
consultations thereafter. The Japanese government will determine 
its share in a cabinet ministerial meeting and will then enter 
into the final phase of bilateral coordination with the US 
government. The two governments will hold a "two-plus-two" 
foreign and defense ministerial meeting of their security 
consultative committee this month. The Japanese government will 
make a cabinet decision to adopt a final report incorporating the 
remodified Futenma relocation plan as well, and will formally 
retract the Henoko offing plan. 
 
(17) Nukaga, Shimabukuro reach agreement at eleventh hour on plan 
to change direction of runway 
 
ASASHI (Page 1) (Full) 
Evening, April 8, 2006 
 
The Defense Agency and Nago reached an agreement last night on a 
revised plan to relocate the US Marines Futenma Air Station to 
Cape Henoko in Nago. What was discussed last night between the 
two sides became clear today. Nago was strongly opposed to the 
direction of one the two V-shaped runways. A deal was struck at 
the eleventh hour by turning its direction. 
 
The direction was turned for the one offshore to be used 
exclusively for takeoffs. After taking off, US aircraft will head 
east-northeast. 
 
According to a source connected with Nago, the Toyohara district 
was on an extension of the runway in the plan presented by Nukaga 
at the outset of the talks. The reverse flight path of this 
runway would fly over the Toyohara area. Given the situation, 
Shimabukuro threatened to break off the talks, saying, "I cannot 
convince local residents with such a plan." 
 
In response, Nukaga said, "The US military will not use it in the 
other direction. You have to trust the government." But 
Shimabukuro still insisted: "We cannot trust the US military. 
They could use it in the other direction depending on wind and 
other factors." 
 
Nukaga and Shimabukuro continued their talks after two 
intermissions and finally reached an agreement to move this 
runway further offshore. 
 
(18) Gaps in views of Japan, US over sharing cost of transferring 
US Marines to Guam; US focuses on relocation cost, unhappy with 
loan system 
 
NIHON KEIZAI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
April 9, 2006 
 
The Defense Agency (JDA) and Nago, Okinawa City have struck a 
deal on the relocation of Futenma Air Station. The US regards the 
costs of relocating Futenma functions and transferring US Marines 
in Okinawa to Guam as a package. It intends to strengthen its 
call on Japan to pay 75% of the relocation cost, based on the 
agreement on the transfers. 
 
Commenting on the Futenma relocation issue, US Department of 
 
TOKYO 00001903  011 OF 011 
 
 
State Spokesman McCormack on April 7 told a news conference, "I 
believe the Department of Defense is now vetting Japan's 
proposal." Since the new proposal is different from the agreement 
reached last October, the US side appears to have found it 
necessary to check whether there are any obstacles to the 
operation of the US military in the new plan. 
 
For the US, negotiations with a local community that hosts a 
relocation site are Japan's domestic issue. The problem for it is 
rather the gap in the views of the two countries over the sharing 
of the cost of relocating US Marines to Guam, which the US 
estimates at 10 billion dollars. The US insists that Japan should 
pay 7.5 billion dollars, while Japan has proposed extending 3 
billion dollars in loans. The US appears to be dissatisfied with 
both the amount and the loan method proposed by Japan. The 
predominant view in Japan is that 75% is far too much and that 
this must be a bargaining ploy on the part of the US. 
 
The US views the costs of relocating Futenma functions, reducing 
the burden on Okinawa, and transferring US Marines to Guam as a 
package. Its logic is that Futenma functions cannot be relocated 
until the two countries reach agreement on the sharing of costs. 
It is bound to call on Japan to make concessions. Tokyo and 
Washington will hold working-level talks by officials responsible 
for foreign and defense affairs in Tokyo starting on April 13. A 
political judgment at the cabinet-minister-level will likely be 
made for a final settlement. 
 
(19) US Navy to deploy new missile warship to Yokosuka in August 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Full) 
April 8, 2006 
 
The US Navy will deploy the USS Shiloh, a guided missile cruiser, 
to Yokosuka base in August, US Naval Forces Japan announced 
yesterday. The Shiloh, which has a displacement of 9,600 tons at 
full load, is equipped with SM-3 sea-based missiles to intercept 
ballistic missiles. The US Navy has already been staging Aegis- 
equipped destroyers in the Sea of Japan on the alert for 
ballistic missile launches. The cruiser's deployment can be taken 
as an effort to step up their intercept readiness. 
 
SCHIEFFER