With Cabinet approval Tuesday, the (Japanese) government adopted the basic policy on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan.

Many difficult problems remain to be solved, such as how to come up with the 3 trillion yen or so needed to finance the realignment, and a decision on construction plans for a replacement facility for Futenma Air Station in Nago.

With regard to the transfer of U.S. Marines to Guam, the government will put a sizable amount of state funds into the construction of facilities there for use by U.S. forces, marking the first time that government money has been spent for such purposes outside Japan.

For its part, the Okinawa prefectural government has expressed its opposition to the Cabinet approval, saying the consultations on the matter held with local governments were insufficient.

The central government needs to decide on construction plans without delay by winning the cooperation of local governments, including prefectural governments, through talks in the days ahead.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will visit the United States in the next month to meet U.S. President George W. Bush. It is important for the two leaders to reconfirm the accord on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan reached by ministers, and to confirm the deepened alliance. That would help achieve the latest Cabinet decision.