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Okinawa gov. requests U.S. base closing in 3 yrs

TOKYO, Japan - Newly elected Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima (L) shakes hands with Defense Agency Director General Fumio (R) as incumbent Gov. Keiichi Inamine (C) looks on at the Defense Agency on Nov. 29. Nakaima said later he has requested the government to close down the U.S. air station in the Okinawa Prefecture to eliminate the risks involved in having the base next to a residential area.

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Okinawa voters go to polls to pick new governor

NAHA, Japan - Voters cast their ballots in Urasoe, Okinawa Prefecture on Nov. 19 in the election to choose the successor to outgoing Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine, with the relocation of a U.S. military base and local economic concerns among the major issues.

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Okinawa voters go to polls to pick new governor

NAHA, Japan - Keiko Itokazu, a former House of Councillors member supported by the opposition camp, casts her ballot along with her husband Takashi in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, on Nov. 19 in the election to choose the successor to outgoing Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine.

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Okinawa voters go to polls to pick new governor

NAHA, Japan - Hirokazu Nakaima, a former vice governor backed by the ruling coalition, casts his ballot together with his second daughter Chisato in Urasoe, Okinawa Prefecture, on Nov. 19 in the election to choose the successor to outgoing Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine.

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Nukaga, Inamine agree to launch forum on Futemma base relocation

TOKYO, Japan - Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga (L) talks with Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine at the Okinawa prefectural government office in Naha on Aug. 18.

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Okinawa Gov. Inamine to retire in November

NAHA, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine speaks at a plenary session of the prefectural assembly in Naha on June 29 about his intention to retire when his second four-year term ends in November.

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Okinawa marks 61st anniversary of WWII battle

ITOMAN, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine reads out a Peace Declaration during a ceremony at the Peace Memorial Park in the city of Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, on June 23 to mark the 61st anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa between Japanese and U.S. forces. More than 200,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the battle in Okinawa in the closing stage of World War II.

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Cabinet OKs plan to realign U.S. military presence

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine responds to questions from reporters in Tokyo on May 30 after the Japanese government endorsed a final plan on the realignment of the U.S. military presence in Japan. He said in a statement that the Cabinet decision without thorough consultation with local communities was ''extremely deplorable.

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Japan, Pacific island nations meet for summit in Okinawa

NAGO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (L) addresses a meeting of leaders of Japan and Pacific island nations in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, on May 26. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (2nd from L) also attended the meeting.

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Inamine meets Koizumi over relocation of U.S. military base

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (R) holds talks with Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine at his office on May 11 on the relocation of a U.S. military base within Okinawa Prefecture.

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Inamine meets Koizumi over relocation of U.S. military base

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (L) and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi shake hands at the premier's office on May 11 ahead of their talks on the relocation of a U.S. military base within Okinawa Prefecture.

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Nukaga, Inamine agree to continue talks on U.S. base relocation

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (L) and Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga shake hands at the Defense Agency in Tokyo on May 11 prior to their talks about a plan to relocate a U.S. Marine Corps' air station from Futemma to Nago within the prefecture.

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Nukaga, Inamine agree to continue talks on U.S. base relocation

TOKYO, Japan - Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga (L) and Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine hold a joint a news conference at the Defense Agency in Tokyo on May 11 after their talks on a plan to relocate a U.S. Marine Corps' air station from Futemma to Nago within the prefecture.

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Okinawa gov. opposes relocation plan, makes counterproposal

NAHA, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (R) meets with Defense Facilities Administration Agency chief Iwao Kitahara (L) in Okinawa on May 4. Inamine reiterated his opposition to a plan to relocate a U.S. air station from Ginowan to the U.S. Marines' Camp Schwab in Nago, both in Okinawa, making a counterproposal to tentatively build a helipad on land at Camp Schwab.

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Okinawa governor flexible on U.S. bases accord

NAHA, Japan - Keiichi Inamine, the governor of Okinawa Prefecture, speaks about the new Japan-U.S. accord on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan at a news conference at the prefectural government office in Naha on May 2.

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Okinawa governor reiterates opposition to base relocation plan

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (2nd from L) holds talks with Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga (R, back) in Tokyo on April 8, reiterating his opposition to a plan to build a U.S. military airfield on land and landfill in the northern Okinawa city of Nago.

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Okinawa governor reiterates opposition to base relocation plan

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (L) shakes hands with Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga (R) in Tokyo on April 8 ahead of their talks on a U.S. base relocation plan.

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Okinawa Gov. Inamine meets Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine is surrounded by reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on March 10 after meeting with Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe to discuss a possible relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station within the prefecture.

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Okinawa Prefecture remains opposed to Futemma relocation plan

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (R) meets with Defense Agency chief Fukushiro Nukaga at the Defense Agency in Tokyo on March 9. Inamine said the Okinawa prefectural government remains opposed to a Japan-U.S. plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station within the prefecture.

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Okinawa Prefecture remains opposed to Futemma relocation plan

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine speaks to reporters at Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in Tokyo on March 9 after talks with LDP Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe. He said the Okinawa prefectural government remains opposed to a Japan-U.S. plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station within the prefecture.

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Okinawa Prefecture remains opposed to Futemma relocation plan

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (L) meets with Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe (2nd from R) at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo on March 9. Inamine said the Okinawa prefectural government remains opposed to a Japan-U.S. plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station within the prefecture.

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Okinawa officials renew opposition to Futemma relocation plan

NAHA, Japan - Iwao Kitahara (L), chief of the Defense Facilities Administration Agency, meets with Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (R) at the Okinawa prefectural government in Naha on March 4.

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Aso visits Futemma relocation site in Camp Schwab

NAHA, Japan - Foreign Minister Taro Aso (L) talks with Okinawa Governor Keiichi Inamine (R) at the prefectural government headquarters in Okinawa's capital Naha on Nov. 25.

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Local gov'ts seek explanation on Japan-U.S. realignment negotiations

TOKYO, Japan - Foreign Minister Taro Aso (L) receives a written petition from Kanagawa Gov. Shigefumi Matsuzawa, Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (2nd from R) and Yamaguchi Gov. Sekinari Nii (R) on Nov. 11. The governors called on the central government to provide explanations on the development of negotiations between Japan and the United States as the two nations plan to draw up by March a final report on realigning U.S. forces in Japan.

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Nukaga talks with Okinawa Gov. Inamine

NAHA, Japan - Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga speaks to reporters at the Okinawa prefectural government in Naha on Nov. 8 after he met with Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine to gain local understanding over a Japan-U.S. agreement on relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station to a new airfield within the prefecture.

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Okinawa governor tells gov't he rejects realignment plans

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine responds to questions from reporters at the prime minister's office on Nov. 7 after he told Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe that his prefecture ''cannot accept'' a new Japan-U.S. agreement to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station within Okinawa.

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Okinawa, Kanagawa governors reject realignment plans

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (R) meets with Foreign Minister Taro Aso at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on Nov. 7 to convey his opposition to a new Japan-U.S. agreement to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station within Okinawa.

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Okinawa governor tells gov't he rejects realignment plans

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (R) meets with Defense Agency chief Fukushiro Nukaga in Tokyo on Nov. 7 in relation to a new Japan-U.S. agreement to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station within Okinawa.

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Okinawa governor tells gov't he rejects realignment plans

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (R) meets with Yuriko Koike, state minister in charge of Okinawa, in Tokyo on Nov. 7 in relation to a new Japan-U.S. agreement to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station within Okinawa.

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Inamine rejects Japan-U.S. Futemma relocation plan

NAHA, Japan - Defense Facilities Administration Agency Director General Iwao Kitahara speaks with reporters following his meeting with Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine at the Okinawa Prefectural government office in Naha on Oct. 31.

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Inamine rejects Japan-U.S. Futemma relocation plan

NAHA, Japan - Defense Facilities Administration Agency Director General Iwao Kitahara (L) and Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine are in talks at the Okinawa Prefectural government office in Naha on Oct. 31.

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Inamine rejects Japan-U.S. Futemma relocation plan

NAHA, Japan - Defense Facilities Administration Agency Director General Iwao Kitahara (L) meets Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine on Oct. 31 to explain the plans for realignment of U.S. forces in Japan agreed to by the Japanese and U.S. governments. Later, a senior Okinawa prefectural government official said that Inamine rejected the plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station within the prefecture.

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Okinawa governor briefed on Futemma relocation plan

NAHA, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (R) meets with Naha Defense Facilities Administration Bureau chief Masanori Nishi in Okinawa on Oct. 27. Nishi briefed the governor on the central government's plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture within Okinawa.

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Okinawa governor sounds negative on base relocation plans

NAHA, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine speaks to reporters at the Okinawa prefectural office in Naha on Oct. 26 after the United States and Japan agreed on the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in the prefecture.

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10,000 protest against U.S. Army exercises in Okinawa

NAHA, Japan - Some 10,000 people stage a protest rally against military exercises of U.S. Army using live ammunition in the town of Kin, Okinawa Prefecture, on July 19. The protesters, including Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine, appealed the danger involving the exercises at a new combat facility at the Marine Corps' Camp Hansen, which is only 300 meters away from residential areas.

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Okinawa governor protests molestation case involving U.S. airman

NAHA, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (R) meets Lt. Gen. Robert Blackman (L), commander of the U.S. Marines in Japan, at the Okinawa prefectural government office in Naha on July 5 to file a protest over the alleged molestation of a 10-year-old girl by a U.S. airman in Okinawa.

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Okinawa Gov. Inamine in Washington

WASHINGTON, United States - Japan's Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine speaks to reporters in Washington on March 16 about a relocation plan for the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station within his prefecture.

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U.S. wants military bases to stay in Okinawa

WASHINGTON, United States - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (C) enters the U.S. Defense Department on the outskirts of Washington on March 14 to discuss the relocation issue of the U.S. Marines Futemma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture.

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(1)Okinawa seeks gov't efforts to move U.S. Marines out of prefecture

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (L) hands a petition to Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda on March 11, urging the government to try to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa to places outside the prefecture.

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(2) Okinawa seeks gov't efforts to move U.S. Marines out of prefecture

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine speaks to reporters at the prime minister's office on March 11 after petitioning the government to try to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa to places outside the prefecture.

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Okinawa calls for lesser burden in hosting U.S. forces

NAHA, Japan - Defense Agency Director General Yoshinori Ono (L) meets Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine at the Okinawa prefectural government office in Naha on Jan. 19 to discuss the U.S. military realignment in Japan.

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(1)Machimura says Japan, U.S. need to be flexible in realignment talks

NAHA, Japan - Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura (L) is in talks with Okinawa Governor Keiichi Inamine (R) at the latter's office in Naha on Oct. 16. Machimura said later that both Japan and the United States should be flexible in discussing a new U.S. military deployment in Japan.

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(2)Okinawa Gov. Inamine meets with PM Koizumi

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine is surrounded by reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Aug. 25 after asking Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to press the U.S. military to suspend all flights to and from the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture.

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(1)Okinawa Gov. Inamine meets with PM Koizumi

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (L) hands to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Aug. 25 a document calling on Koizumi to press the U.S. military to suspend all flights to and from the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture. The U.S. Marine helicopter crashed at Okinawa International University in Ginowan on Aug. 13 after taking off from the Futemma base.

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Okinawa gov. reiterates call to ground U.S. military flights

NAHA, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (R) talks with Lt. Gen. Robert Blackman, Okinawa area coordinator of the U.S. military, at the Okinawa prefectural government in Naha on Aug. 21. Inamine urged Blackman to suspend all military flights at the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in Ginowan in the prefecture.

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Okinawa governor vows to ease worry over chopper crash

GINOWAN, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (2nd from R) visits the site of a U.S. Marines helicopter crash in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, on Aug. 21 for the first time since the accident. He vowed to help restore what was damaged and ease anxiety among local residents.

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Okinawa gov't to continue to urge U.S. to suspend Futemma flights

NAHA, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine speaks with reporters at his office in Naha on Aug. 20. He said the Okinawa prefectural government will keep urging the United States to suspend all military flights at the Marine Corps Futemma Air Station until safety is ensured.

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Inamine asks gov't for early relocation of Futemma base

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (R) hands a request to Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda in Tokyo on Aug. 19, seeking to speed up work to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in Okinawa following the Aug. 13 crash of a Marine helicopter at a local university campus.

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Inamine urges SOFA revision be seen as national undertaking

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine called in a Tokyo forum May 29 for national attention on Okinawa's wish to revise the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement to solve various problems involving U.S. military facilities there.

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4 projects adopted for Okinawa base relocation

TOKYO, Japan - Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine (2nd from R) speaks at a meeting of central and Okinawa prefectural government officials in Tokyo on Dec. 18. The officials agreed on four new development projects for northern Okinawa, where an airport will be built to take over the heliport functions of the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station also in the prefecture.