April 2, 2010
Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima has again told the central government that Okinawa will reject any plan to relocate the US Futenma Marine Corps Air Station within the prefecture.
Nakaima was speaking with Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa in Tokyo on Friday.
The Okinawan governor said that local residents are increasingly calling for the air station to be moved outside the prefecture, ahead of a massive protest rally planned for April 25th.He added that he doubts residents will accept government attempts to relocate the base in their prefecture.
Kitazawa said the government will not decide anything without consulting Okinawa.
The government is proposing to move the functions of Futenma to the land area of US Camp Schwab or to reclaimed land off the US White Beach Base. Both bases are located in Okinawa.
Japan and the United States agreed in 2006 to relocate Futenma to a coastal area of Camp Schwab. But the current government is considering alternative sites, in line with its election pledge to move the base outside Okinawa.
2010/04/02 16:46(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
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