Safety top priority for Osprey operation in Japan: Clinton
Kyodo
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday pledged to ensure the safe operation of Osprey military aircraft to be deployed at a base in Japan later this year, suggesting there is no change in Washington's schedule for the transfer, despite strong local opposition.
Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said at a joint press conference with Clinton after their talks in Tokyo that they will speed up the ongoing realignment of U.S. military forces in Japan to produce some positive results "by the end of this year."
Gemba and Clinton agreed to stick to the two countries' plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within Okinawa Prefecture, from a residential area in Ginowan to the less densely populated Henoko district of Nago, a Foreign Ministry official said, although a majority of local people are hoping for the air base to be moved outside of the southwestern island.
Gemba and Clinton also said they will continue to cooperate on issues related to maritime security, Afghanistan, North Korea, Syria and Iran, among other topics.
Gemba said he conveyed the concern in Japan over the deployment of the MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft at the Futenma base following recent crashes in Morocco and Florida, while Clinton promised to share all necessary information with Japan once the results of investigations on the accidents are ready.
"The United States cares deeply about the safety of the Japanese people," Clinton said. "We will work closely with our Japanese partners to make sure that any American equipment in Japan will meet the highest safety standards."
But she suggested the United States has no plans to change the schedule for the tilt-rotor aircraft's deployment to replace the aging CH-46 helicopters currently at the Futenma base.
Clinton said the MV-22 Osprey has "excellent safety records" and the replacement will "significantly strengthen our abilities in providing for Japan's defense and performing humanitarian assistance, disaster relief operations and other duties as a key ally."
A civilian cargo ship carrying MV-22 Ospreys has already left the United States and is expected to arrive at the Marine Corps' Iwakuni Air Station in Yamaguchi Prefecture in late July, before the deployment at the Futenma base. A ship believed to be carrying the planes left Hawaii on Saturday for Japan, according to a Japanese peace group monitoring the U.S. military.
During the one-on-one talks on the sidelines of an international conference on Afghan development in Tokyo, Gemba and Clinton discussed some economic issues as well.
As part of efforts to strengthen bilateral economic ties, Clinton said the United States "welcomes Japan's interest" in a new multilateral free trade accord, called the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Gemba and Clinton will both attend a regional security forum in Cambodia next Thursday. Territorial disputes in the South China Sea are expected to dominate discussions at ministerial meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its dialogue partners in Phnom Penh.
Gemba and Clinton said the two countries are hoping to see progress on crafting a regional code of conduct to reduce territorial and maritime conflicts in the South China Sea.
On the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings, Clinton said the United States, Japan and South Korea will hold a trilateral meeting, during which North Korea's nuclear program is expected to be a major agenda item.
Before meeting Gemba, Clinton also held a brief meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in which they reaffirmed their commitment to working closely on bilateral issues as well as regional challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, according to Foreign Ministry officials.
Safety top priority for Osprey operation in Japan: Clinton | The Japan Times Online