On Feb. 8 the Japanese and U.S. governments reexamined a plan for realignment of U.S. troops in Japan which the former LDP dominated government railroaded through the Diet under the pressure of the U.S. in 2006, and made public an agreement on it.

The agreement calls for pushing forward as planned the plan for the relocation of the Futenma U.S. Air base within Okinawa Prefecture.

Japan was compelled to sign the agreement without having a chance to say anything about the U.S. demand.

What the Japanese authorities uttered at the utmost was that they echoed the remarks made by the U.S. that the reduction of U.S. Marines might ease the burdens on the prefecture to a certain extent.

The U.S., going one step further, asked Japan to cover all the expenses for transferring Marines to the Iwaguni base in Yamaguchi Prefecture in the same way the former pressurized the latter to cover half of the expenses for their transfer to Guam.

The Japanese authorities' submission to the U.S. triggered off strong public uproar.

The governor of Okinawa Prefecture presented a written opinion to the Ministry of Defence, once again clarifying his opposition to the relocation of the Futenma base within the prefecture.

The governor in his written opinion clarified the consistent stand of the residents of the prefecture demanding the removal of the base out of it, adding it is impossible to implement the relocation of the base within the prefecture agreed between the governments of Japan and the U.S.

The mayor of Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture accused the governments of Japan and the U.S. of trying to push ahead with the plan in disregard of the will of its residents, adding they would no longer shoulder the additional burden for the U.S. base.

The governor of Yamaguchi Prefecture described the transfer of some of U.S. Marines to his prefecture as horrifying, complaining about the authorities' acceptance of the U.S. request.

The Japanese authorities' behavior is leading to a ruling crisis as it only pursues a one-sided policy serving the U.S. in disregard of public mindset.