In a move designed to give another push toward the return or joint-use of the U.S. military's Yokota Air Base, Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara on Wednesday made a high-profile visit to the base and held a meeting with local mayors — but failed to forge local voices into a chorus.
Ishihara's daylong trip was organized to help realize his election-campaign pledge to have the base returned or turned into an airport to be shared by U.S. military and civilian aircraft.
Ishihara was first greeted by Gen. John Hall, commander of U.S. Forces Japan and the U.S. 5th Air Force. The governor then inspected C-130 transport aircraft, hangars and a broadcasting station at the base, which is a key U.S. military installation on the western outskirts of Tokyo.