Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama appears to be vacillating on his party's election pledge to consider relocating a major U.S. facility out of Okinawa Prefecture . Meeting reporters Wednesday, Hatoyama indicated his government may eventually approve the current Japan-U.S. agreement to relocate the heliport functions of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from Ginowan to Henoko in Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture. But on Thursday, he was at pains to emphasize that he did not mention Henoko in his previous remarks.

An Asahi Shimbun Editorial

His comments Wednesday would undermine a Democratic Party of Japan election pledge to "move in the direction of re-examining the realignment of the U.S. military forces in Japan ." The DPJ has previously called for the Futenma facility, located in a crowded residential area in Ginowan, to be relocated to another part of Japan to ease the burden of bases on Okinawan residents. "I do not deny the possibility that (the pledges in the DPJ's manifesto) could change because of a time factor," Hatoyama said Wednesday, indicating Henoko could be an option after all.

The current plan to relocate the facility to Henoko point was formally agreed to in 2006 under the Liberal Democratic Party administration as part of the "road map" for the realignment of U.S. forces.

The prime minister's remark was taken to reflect the growing belief in his government, through talks with U.S. officials and a review of the agreement, that finding an alternative site will be difficult. "The manifesto is a promise, so it should not be changed easily," he said Wednesday. But he added that "there is the Japan-U.S. agreement as a premise. The greatest question is whether under that premise we can shape a plan in ways to gain the understanding of Okinawa Prefecture residents."

Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada made a similar comment Wednesday in a speech at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo. "We are seeking ways to further reduce the burden on Okinawa ," he said, indicating the party was continuing to look for an alternative site for the relocation. But he said at the same time that "it is a fact that both the Japanese and U.S. governments had worked under the agreement."

After his apparent change of stance was reported, Hatoyama said Thursday he did not mean to say the government will approve the LDP administration's agreement with Washington "as it is." Hatoyama said he would honor a coalition agreement with two junior partners to review the bases issue to lessen the burden on Okinawa.