Japan needs to decide where to relocate the U.S. Futenma air base by May, Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa said Tuesday.

"We should resolve the issue as quickly as possible," he said. "I see (a May deadline) as a time schedule that (the three political parties in the ruling bloc) have been aware of with each other."

Although Kitazawa said the two small parties allied with the Democratic Party of Japan "have shared the basic understanding" that this is the schedule for resolving the issue, there were no voices supporting his view.