Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Richard Armitage indicated Wednesday the United States will not accept a request made by Okinawa for imposing a time limit on the U.S. military's use of a new airport to be built in the prefecture.
"I think the U.S. government is very clear on this," Armitage told reporters after a congressional hearing.
Okinawa has proposed that Japan set a 15-year limit on the military-civilian airport to be built in Nago, northern Okinawa, to take over the helicopter operations of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan, central Okinawa.
Armitage confirmed he did not take up the time-limit issue during his meeting Tuesday with Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine.