Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada hinted Saturday that he will abandon the idea of moving U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to nearby U.S. Kadena Air Base, saying options are running out for the relocation of the facility.
"It's extremely difficult," Okada was quoted as saying in a meeting with top officials of the Okinawa Times, a local daily, in reference to the idea he had floated as a possible alternative to an existing Japan-U.S. agreement.
"We've been pushing it and it's reaching the limit" when it comes to negotiations with the United States, Okada was also quoted as saying by officials familiar with the meeting.