Hatoyama Backs Away From Okinawa Pledge

Reversing a campaign promise, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama now says it is unrealistic to expect the U.S. Marines to pack up and leave their base in Okinawa, the New York Times reports.

Hatoyama has vowed to come up with a plan by the end of this month to relocate the Marine base.

Visiting the island on Tuesday, the prime minister proposed a compromise where some of the functions of the base remain on the island while other facilities are moved elsewhere.

"When we...