TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama asked in vein on Friday for the mayors of Tokunoshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture to accommodate some of the functions of a US air base in Okinawa central to a controversial relocation debate.

"I would be grateful if you accept some of the functions of the Futemma Air Station," the Japanese premier said during talks with the three mayors from the small island of Tokunoshima, located 200 km northeast of the main Okinawa island and home to 27,000 people. Hatoyama added that, "It is ruthless to speak about relocation to Tokunoshima. I'm awfully sorry for that."

However, the mayors made it abundantly clear to the prime minister and president of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) that they remain unequivocally opposed to Hatoyama's repeated request for them to sign off on his plan for Tokunoshima to help relieve some of the burden from Okinawa, which plays host to the majority of US military facilities in Japan.