Okinawa official in U.S. for SOFA, Futenma talks

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Okinawa official in U.S. for SOFA, Futenma talks
By David Allen and Chiyomi Sumida, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Friday, November 6, 2009

NAHA, Okinawa — Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima is in Washington to push for changes in the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement.

He is part of a delegation from the Japan Governors Association, which represents the 14 prefectures that host U.S. military bases.

Among top SOFA issues to be discussed with U.S. officials, a spokesman for Nakaima said, are provisions that would make the U.S. responsible for the environmental cleanup of bases before they are closed. Currently, it is up to the Japanese and local governments to clean up hazardous wastes found on old base property.

Also to be discussed is turning over U.S. servicemembers suspected of off-base crimes to Japanese authorities upon request.

Under the current SOFA, servicemembers are placed in U.S. custody until they are indicted — unless they are arrested by Japanese police outside the bases.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=65874