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State Department on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Japan

(Answer to question taken at July 29 State Department briefing) (337)
Following is the official answer to a question taken at the July 29
regular State Department briefing; the answer was posted July 30:
(begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
July 30, 2002
QUESTION TAKEN AT JULY 29, 2002 PRESS BRIEFING
FINALIZATION OF "BASIC PLAN" CONCERNING THE REPLACEMENT FACILITY FOR
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA
Question: What is your reaction to the approval by the Japanese of the
Basic Plan for the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma?
Answer: The United States warmly welcomes the July 29 agreement by the
Japanese Government, Okinawa Prefectural Government, and Nago City on
a Basic Plan for replacing Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Futenma, a
United States military base in Okinawa, Japan, with a new facility
near Nago City, Okinawa. Conclusion of this Basic Plan allows both
sides to continue progress on planning for and constructing the new
facility. Relocating MCAS Futenma is one of the prime elements of the
1996 Final Report of the Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO),
which contained recommendations for reducing the impact of the U.S.
military presence in Okinawa. Under the SACO plan, the Japanese
Government undertook to provide a replacement facility for the MCAS
Futenma that meets our operation requirements. Over half of the
Report's recommendations have been implemented and we look forward to
implementing the remainder.
With the finalization of the Basic Plan, our Japanese allies have
taken an important step in making the relocation of MCAS Futenma a
reality. The United States looks forward to continued close
cooperation with the Japanese Government and Okinawan and local
authorities as the relocation process continues.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)