U.S. will move base in Japan

TOKYO – Washington and Tokyo agreed today to keep a contentious U.S. Marine base on the Japanese island of Okinawa, reaffirming the importance of their security alliance and the need to maintain American troops in the country.

In a joint statement, the two allies agreed to move the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Henoko, a less crowded part of the southern island. The decision is broadly in line with a 2006 deal, but represents a major broken campaign promise on the part of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

Hatoyama came to office in September promising to move the Marine base off the island. But after months of searching and fruitless discussions with Washington and Okinawan officials, the prime minister said the base needed to stay in Okinawa.

His decision has angered tens of thousands of island residents who complain about base-related noise, pollution and crime.

U.S. military officials and security experts argued it is essential that Futenma remain on Okinawa because its helicopters and air assets support Marine infantry units based on the island. Moving the facility off the island could slow the Marines’ coordination and response in times of emergency.

The two countries said an environmental impact assessment and construction of the replacement facility should proceed “without significant delay.” The statement called for a logistical study to be completed by the end of August.

Okinawa hosts more than half the 47,000 U.S. troops in Japan, and the two countries acknowledged the need to address local complaints.

The Futenma move is part of a broader plan to reorganize American troops in Japan that includes moving 8,000 Marines to the U.S. territory of Guam by 2014.