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On October 20, DPJ President Katsuya Okada met with Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga at party headquarters. The meeting was also attended by Secretary General Yukio Edano and Executive Office Director-General Yosuke Kondo.
Following the meeting, Okada spoke to reporters, saying, “It seems that the government has not taken the attitude of engaging with Okinawa prefecture closely in discussions and debate. It is disgraceful that the intensive talks [between the prefectural and central governments] should be cut short after a month and work [to relocate U.S. Marine Air Corps Station Futenma] resumed. I told the Governor that if full-scale construction work was to be resumed without further discussion we could not agree to that, and would voice our opposition. The Governor explained what the course of Okinawa’s negotiations with central government.”
Asked by a reporter whether he was opposed to the actual construction of a new base at Henoko, Okada replied, “I understand the opposition of the people of Okinawa to Henoko. However, I told the Governor that since the DPJ does not have any counterproposal, it would be irresponsible of us to declare our opposition to Henoko. Having stated this, I further told him that we could by no means consent to the methods [used by the current government].” With regard to a counterproposal, Okada said, “This can only be made by the government. I know that it is not easy, but I would like them to make efforts.”
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