Japan, US confirm forces realignment plan

Defence chiefs of the United States and Japan are to announce a joint document detailing the realignment of US forces in Japan as early as Wednesday. US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Japanese Defense Minister Naoki Tanaka confirmed the plan by phone on Monday, according to Japan's (NHK WORLD) website. The document separates the issue of transferring US Marines abroad from the relocation of the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa, due to local demands that the base be moved out of the prefecture. It says that 9,000 Marines will be transferred from Okinawa outside Japan. The plan also says the US will return 13 military facilities in the prefecture to Japan in three stages. Panetta welcomed the latest agreement. Tanaka responded that Japan will strive to maintain good relations with the US based on the agreement. Tanaka referred to the fatal crash of the US Marines' MV-22 Osprey aircraft in Morocco earlier this month. He called for more information on the accident, citing concern among people of Okinawa. The deployment of the aircraft is planned for Okinawa later this year. Panetta agreed to share information.