U.S., Japan still solving military base relocation issue

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 -- The U.S. secretary of state and Japanese foreign minister are still striving to iron out their two countries' difference on re-locating an Okinawa military base.

Hillary Rodham Clinton urged the Japanese government to "move on Futenma" and assured that her country is "respectful of the process that the Japanese government is going through."

The secretary of state met Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada in Hawaii, where the two were expected to re-affirm 50 years of alliance between their two countries.

Hillary Clinton said the U.S. administration understands that the Japanese government led by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has "difficult issues" it must address, according to a statement issued by the State Department.

Since coming to power last year, the ruling Democratic Party of Japan has pushed to re-negotiate the U.S.-Japan bilateral accord, Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).

Signed in 2006 between Japan's former ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the George W. Bush administration, the SOFA agreed to move a military base from downtown Futenma to a rural area in Okinawa.

The same accord also agreed to relocate 8,000 troops from Okinawa to Guam.

Hillary Clinton reassured that the United States maintains "there-alignment roadmap is the way forward."

The Japanese foreign minister said that his government "will come up with a conclusion by May (on the base re-location issue), so that there will be a minimum impact on the Japan-U.S. alliance."

The two diplomats also discussed in Hawaii issues concerning Afghanistan, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Myanmar, global warming, nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, according to the State Department statement.