During a working dinner on April 12 for the nuclear security summit in Washington, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama was seated next to U.S. President Barack Obama and the two leaders held unofficial talks for 10 minutes. Mr. Hatoyama told Mr. Obama that the issue of the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Air Station Futenma on Okinawa Island would be settled by the end of May and asked Mr. Obama to understand his attempt to alleviate the burden on the residents of Okinawa.

Apparently he did not get an encouraging answer from Mr. Obama, since he has refused to disclose what the president said. Having given himself till the end of May to solve the problem, the clock is now ticking for Mr. Hatoyama.

The...