Discussion or Lawsuit

Government of Japan filed a new lawsuit to Naha Branch of Fukuoka High Court on Friday, claiming reconfirmation of illegality of local government of Okinawa that rejected obeying governmental order to accept construction of United States Marine Air Base in Henoko, Okinawa. While Okinawa requested further discussion with national government, Shinzo Abe administration unilaterally sought a legal showdown on highly complicated issue of relocation of Futenma Marine Air Base. Sharp dispute was restarted with intolerance of Tokyo.

The two governments agreed on a deal in which they continue discussion and turned their lawsuits accusing each other down. The agreement included a notice that both parties would not disturb due process, if their discussion would be resulted in unfinished. Each party was supposed to abide by the conclusion Supreme Court would draw.

Okinawa announced that it would keep the discussion table without filing lawsuit, when a national authority of dealing dispute between local and national government last month avoided making decision on national order of correction on local decision in Okinawa. Okinawa needed a discussion without any prerequisite condition on relocation of Futenma.

Doubtful national government regarded it as buying time. There is a firm belief in national government that Tokyo will not be defeated in the lawsuit and the victory can be achieved next February with no specific reason. In the Policy Meeting on Okinawa, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, reconfirmed to Governor Takeshi Onaga that Okinawa would have to abide by the decision Supreme Court would make. Onaga regretted unilateral attitude of national government.

Tokyo insists on resuming construction by next spring. If the relocation plan is delayed further, it is possible that next administration of United States will be skeptical on current plan. Bureaucrats in Tokyo thought that U.S. Government would be confident on Japan’s determination on the issue, if the construction process is resumed even in a coercive way.

Asahi Shimbun introduced three opinions on the issue on Friday. Former Minister of Defense, Satoshi Morimoto, insisted on Henoko relocation plan to be the only option for deterrence in Southwest of Japan. The other two proposed alternative way. Professor of Okinawa International University, Manabu Sato, argued that U.S. Marine could work, even stationed in North America. Senior Fellow of Brookings Institute, Michael O’Hanlon, proposed distribution of Marines in Okinawa to some other places in Japan.