U.S. Marine Base In Okinawa To Stay

Japanese Prime Minister Accepts U.S. Base in Okinawa -- Wall Street Journal

TOKYO—Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said he will accept a longstanding U.S. proposal for positioning American troops in Japan, removing a major source of friction between the two allies, but raising the prospect of new domestic political troubles for the fragile ruling coalition.

Mr. Hatoyama's agreement to keep a large Marine presence on Okinawa breaks one of the most prominent promises of his administration: to reduce significantly the American military footprint on the southern island. His eight-month-old government has tried in vain to persuade the U.S. to accept alternative locations, or to persuade local communities in other parts of Japan to host more U.S. troops.

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More News On The Okinawa Decision

Japan PM Hatoyama apologises over Okinawa U-turn -- BBC
Japanese PM: U.S. military base will stay in Okinawa -- CNN
Okinawa governor voices "extreme regret" over PM's decision to relocate U.S. base within prefecture -- Xinhuanet
Hatoyama abandons pledge to move US air base -- Financial Times