One of thorny issues between Japan and US is how to realize relocation of Futenma Air Station (MCAS FUTENMA) for Marine Corps air wings in Okinawa where the base is situated in the midst of highly dense population.
Even though the two governments reached in agreement back in 1995 to relocate the base to sea shore in the same Okinawa island, it is a fact that many local citizens can not accept the plan. Furthermore with the birth of new government by Democratic Party of Japan who opposed to the agreement concluded by their opposition party, in August, the previous agreement is now in a shaky position.
Now comes T. Hashimoto, a lawyer and popularly elected in 2008 as young governor of Osaka at age of 39. His prefecture of Osaka as well as the Kansai region at large has a big financial burden to maintain three airports (Kansai, Itami and new Kobe airports) with declining air travel market, especially by cancellation of JAL. Among the three airports, Kansai International has been criticized for construction of the second runway while many air routes, domestic and international, stopped their service. The old Itami airport (Osaka International, even though there is no real international flights from this inland airport these days) is still performing as busy domestic airport and Governor Hashimoto has his own solution to the three airports issue: abolish Itami and sell the premises as business part/ residential area. With the sales income, he advocates to construct a maglev train line to connect Osaka business district and Kansai airport which is more distant than Itami.
Then on November 30, Gov. Hashimoto told the press that he is 'willing to join discussion' to reduce military bases concentration to Okinawa by proposing to welcome base function to Kansai International.
His statement took attention of Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada today; he said he wants to listen to Gov. Hashimoto for his real intention.
The second runway （06L/24R）at Kansai is 4,000 meter-long and the airport, on reclaimed land off coast, is enough big to accommodate military installation.
However, there is no precedent case to keep civil and military air services in the same premises in these days in Japan and there is no response found from local community yet.
Today ( Dec. 1) Gov. Hashimoto also mentioned he is looking to see a possibility to use Kobe airport, another underachiever with too large scale air traffic forecast and also built on reclaimed land off Kobe port and city, for US military training purpose.
I wonder Hashimoto's statement might invoke a new discussion within Japan and a new solution might be introduced, if so it would be very interesting.......
(Photos. Kansai International Airport off Osaka coast, above and ,MSAS Futenma below)
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