Prime Minister Naoto Kan reiterated Tuesday his intention to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within Okinawa, telling Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima that the agreement reached by the Hatoyama administration with the U.S. will stand despite the change of Cabinet.
Nakaima said he was told by Kan, who met with him for the first time after becoming prime minister on June 8, that his administration will do all it can to alleviate the burden on Okinawa.
"But the prime minister also said he will stick to the guidelines decided between Tokyo and Washington," Nakaima said after the meeting at the Prime Minister's Official Residence.