Sens. Carl Levin, D-Mi., Jim Webb, D-Va., and John McCain, R-Az., called for a new plan for basing U.S. troops on Guam arguing that the current plans were no longer feasible or cost effective.
But National Security Council Senior Director Dan Russel said Obama and Kan “agreed that it’s important for Japan to continue its efforts to follow through on the agreement of last May to implement the realignment road map on Okinawa in order to ensure that the U.S.-Japan alliance and the basing arrangements are on a solid footing as we continue to work to enhance, revitalize and modernize our alliance.”
According to Kan, “The Okinawa issue is very challenging, but I hope Japan can make progress through cooperation with the United States.”
Japan’s Daily Yomiuri newspaper reported that Obama echoed Kan’s remarks and said that while he is aware of political difficulties over the base, he wants to improve the stability of the Japan-U.S. alliance over the medium- and long-term.
One U.S. administration official said there’s “just no appetite to reopen this can of worms,” and there’s a lot of sensitivity inside the U.S. government about causing domestic political problems for Kan, who is struggling to keep power.
Plus, the senators’ plan, which would relocate Futenma to a base called Kadena, is just as likely to be unpopular with the Okinawans, the U.S. official said.
On Thursday, the three U.S. senators touted a new Government Accountability Office report they said supports their contention that the current plan is unworkable.
In related news, Kan accepted an invitation to make an official visit to the U.S. in September.
He and Obama also agreed that ahead of Kan’s visit to Washington, the two nations will convene the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee in late June.
