Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Friday booted consumer affairs minister Mizuho Fukushima out of his Cabinet after she opposed a bilateral agreement between Japan and the United States to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Okinawa.
Fukushima said the Social Democratic Party, which she heads, will discuss whether to quit the ruling bloc in an executive meeting Sunday. Its departure would deal another blow to Hatoyama's struggling Democratic Party of Japan ahead of the July Upper House election.
Hatoyama told reporters Friday evening, "We will continue to try our best to obtain Okinawans' understanding" and unveil specifics of the base relocation.
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