時事通信社
大阪府八尾市の田中誠太市長は6月7日、米軍の新型輸送機オスプレイの飛行訓練の一部を、八尾空港で受け入れの是非をめぐって「無理だと思う」と強調しながらも、政府から打診があれば「（受け入れを）検討する必要はあるかもしれない」という考えを示していたことが判明した。
田中市長は、これまで「安全性の証明ができていないので反対だ」と頑な態度を崩していなかったが、「沖縄の基地負担を共有すべきことは否定しない。八尾も何かできることがあるかもしれない」として、柔軟に対処する方針を示した格好だ。産経新聞では以下のように報じている。
田中氏は産経新聞のインタビューに「八尾移転は無理だと思う」と強調する一方、政府が移転可能と判断し打診してくれば「（受け入れを）検討する必要はあるかもしれない」との認識を示した。（略）その上で、安全性が示され、政府が八尾への訓練移転は可能だと判断した場合、「自治体が拒否することにはならない」と明言した。受け入れを求められれば、「検討する必要はあるかもしれない」と述べた。
（MSN産経ニュース 2013/6/16 07:52 ）
八尾空港案は、「日本維新の会」の橋下徹（大阪市長）と、松井一郎幹事長（大阪府知事）が6月6日に、安倍晋三首相に提案したもの。地元首長の頭越しに話を進められた田中市長は「発表前に一言あってもよかったのではないか」と不快感を表明し、7日の松井幹事長との会談で八尾空港案の要請を拒否していた。
ネット上では、田中市長の心変わりについて「どこからか圧力がかかったのか」といぶかる声や、「実現が難しいことが分かったので対応を変えたのでは」と推測するなど、さまざまな反応が出ている。
※読者の皆様は八尾市の田中誠太市長の発言をどのように感じましたか？オスプレイ訓練を八尾空港で受け入れることの是非も含めて、コメント欄にご意見をお寄せください。
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