9,000 US Marines to be shifted out of Japan's Okinawa island
WASHINGTON - Around 9,000 US Marines will be shifted out of Japan's Okinawa island, according to a US-Japan agreement reached Thursday ahead of a visit by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.
The troops will be moved to Guam, Hawaii and other locations in Asia Pacific.
The agreement was outlined in a joint statement by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and their Japanese counterparts.
Around 10,000 Marines will continue to remain on Okinawa, where the US also has a substantial Air Force presence at the Futenma airbase. Okinawa is a crucial element of the U.S. military presence in Asia.
The US has a total of around 50,000 military personnel deployed in Japan.
The joint statement, issued in Washington and Tokyo, said the Marines would be moved "when appropriate facilities are available to receive them" on Guam and elsewhere.
However, the two sides could not make any progress on moving of the Futenma airbase.
The joint statement said the two sides remained committed to relocation of the Futenma base from its present urban location to a coastal spot.
The two governments "reconfirmed their view that (this) remains the only viable solution that has been identified to date," the statement said.
"Japan is not just a close ally, but also a close friend," Panetta said in a separate comment. "And I look forward to deepening that friendship and strengthening our partnership as, together, we address security challenges in the region."
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