The delegation, led by Tetsuji Shinagaki of the Liberal Democratic Party, also told Speaker Judi Won Pat and other Guam lawmakers that Okinawa wants the Futenma Air Base removed from their island instead of relocating it to Nago, in the northern part of Okinawa.
The delegation also clarified that there is no truth to the story published by the Saipan Tribune that Okinawa would pay the U.S. to relocate 4,000 Marines to Tinian.
The delegation said that decision must be made by the U.S. and Japanese governments and that it was the CNMI lawmakers who brought up the issue during their meeting on Saipan last Monday.
The delegation said the Okinawa assembly adopted a resolution urging Japan and the United States to modify their realignment of forces agreement so that the other Marines would also be relocated to Guam.
The delegation said newly elected Okinawa Gov. Hirozaku Nakaima supports the assembly’s position.
The delegation noted that Okinawa makes up 0.6 percent of Japan’s territory but hosts 75 percent of U.S. military bases.
American military forces control 40 percent of Okinawan airspace and 29 ports.
The Okinawan delegation, all members of the prefectural Assembly, included: Tetsuji Shinagaki (Liberal Democratic Party); Kosuke Gushi (LDP); Masatoshi Onaga (LDP); Isho Urasaki (LDP); Hikaru Minei (LDP); Hiroko Tsujino (LDP); Zakimi Kazuyuki (LDP); Yoshihiko Yoshimoto (LDP); Sachio Kuwae (LDP); Kyoki Nakagawa (LDP); Dai Shimabukuro (LDP); and Tomonori Itosu (New Komeito).
