In the most recent general election, I and many others voted for the Democratic Party of Japan chiefly because DPJ lawmakers appeared to be considering the relocation of U.S. Marine Air Base Futenma, Okinawa, to another prefecture in Japan or, possibly, to a foreign country. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama promised to do so. I was very disappointed when he unexpectedly failed to deliver on a relocation plan. Unfortunately, he did not think about the move in a concrete way. I dare say we were deceived by him and the party.
So, I hope that Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who knows the world better than Hatoyama, will make Okinawa a better and more comfortable place in which to live. Noda should not concern himself with the child allowance, free high school tuition or toll-free expressways, because I'm afraid Japan does not have a sufficient budget for these things. Noda must lead Japan without Hatoyama's and former DPJ secretary general Ichiro Ozawa's advice behind the scenes. But old traditions die hard in the political world.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.