Mercury Public Affairs represents the Okinawa prefecture of Japan in its long-running dispute over the massive US military base there.
 White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa |
The island, which is about 1,000 miles south of the Japanese mainland, hosts three-quarters of the US military presence in Japan. It believes it's overburdened by Japan's security needs.
Okinawa's governor Takeshi Onaga made a June 3 pitch in Washington to US officials, urging them to block the relocation of a Marine Air Corps station from a crowded area to a more remote spot on the island. More than 70 percent of Okinawa residents want to the base shut, not moved.
Following Onaga's visit, the State Dept. issued a statement, saying the relocated base is the "only solution that addresses operations, political, financial and strategic concerns. Japan's central government supports the relocation plan.
Mercury on May 25 began work for Okinawa under an agreement that runs through February. The contract is renewable on a month-by-month basis.
The firm will receive two payments totalling $110K for representing Okinawa's defense/security concerns before members of Congress.
Congressmen Vin Weber (R-Minn.) and Denny Rehberg (D-Mont.) join Adam Ereli (former ambassador to Bahrain and spokesperson for then Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condi Rice) on Mercury's five-member Okinawa team.
The Battle of Okinawa began April 1, 1945.
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