Japan to speed decision on relocation of US base

[unhappycamper]

Japan to speed decision on relocation of US base
By ERIC TALMADGE
Associated Press Writer

TOKYO (AP) -- Japan will speed up its review of a deal to move a major U.S. military base on the southern island of Okinawa, officials said Thursday, but no final decision was expected in time for President Barack Obama's visit to Tokyo next week.

To smooth the way for the visit, Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, Washington's top envoy in Asia, was in Tokyo on Thursday to meet with Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada to discuss the leaders' agenda.

"We are making our best efforts to find the most appropriate solutions to the base allocation issue," Foreign Ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura said. "We are accelerating the review process."

He said, however, he could not say when a decision might be announced.

Although the leaders are expected to discuss a broad range of issues, from climate change to Japan's assistance to Afghanistan, the base issue is likely to dominate during Obama's Nov. 12-13 visit.


Rest of article at: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_JAPAN_US_MILITARY?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-11-05-02-47-39