Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine urged the central government Monday to impose a 15-year time limit on the U.S. military's use of an airport to be built in northern Okinawa Prefecture.
"The Japanese government cannot hold negotiations with the United States without establishing a solid stance. The central government should determine that it can offer the substitute facility for Futenma airport for only 15 years," Inamine told a regular news conference at the prefectural government building.
Inamine repeated the issue to emphasize Okinawa's demand for the 15-year limit, after talks between Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and U.S. President Bill Clinton on Friday in Washington apparently failed to produce any substantial discussion on the matter.
Mori reportedly told Clinton, "I would like to continue talks on the issue."