Ozawa expresses opposition to Obama's policy on Afghanistan+

TOKYO, April 10 Kyodo - Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa expressed opposition Friday to U.S. President Barack Obama's policy of sending more troops to Afghanistan to fight terrorism during a meeting with visiting U.S. Sen. John McCain, DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama said.

''Though military force can topple a government, it cannot govern people. I
cannot agree with it,'' the leader of Japan's main opposition party was quoted
as telling McCain, who ran against Obama in the presidential election last
year.
In March, Obama released a new strategy to fight terrorism in Afghanistan and
Pakistan, saying the United States will send another 4,000 troops to
Afghanistan along with hundreds of civilian specialists including diplomats.
When McCain asked Ozawa if the relocation of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam
is going well, Ozawa said, ''Although it should be going smoothly, there is the
issue of Futemma airfield,'' referring to the relocation of the airfield
functions of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station from Ginowan to Nago,
Hatoyama said.
Ozawa told McCain that ''the DPJ has concerns'' as local residents strongly
oppose to filling the sea to build a replacement facility, according to
Hatoyama, who was also present at the meeting held at the DPJ's headquarters.
On Sunday's rocket launch by North Korea, McCain told Ozawa that it is
important for Japan and the United States to strengthen ties as it is clear
that China is not going to enforce strict sanctions against Pyongyang, Hatoyama
said.
Ozawa said, ''There is China behind North Korea. We cannot resolve the issue
unless we build relations of trust further with China,'' according to Hatoyama.
McCain is visiting Japan with two other U.S. senators and met with Japanese
Prime Minister Taro Aso on Thursday at the prime minister's office in Tokyo.
==Kyodo
2009-04-10 22:40:00