Okinawa sues Japanese govt over plans for construction of new US military base

The governor of Okinawa has filed a lawsuit against the government of Japan to stop the relocation of US Marine Corps base Futenma to another part of the region. A relatively small island, Okinawa hosts more than half the US troops in Japan.

Governor Onaga took office in 2014 with his electoral campaign based mainly on his anti-relocation promise. Earlier in October, he canceled a 2013 decision by former governor Hirokazu Nakaima allowing construction works at Henoko Bay, also known as Nago, a town planned to host the new USMC airbase.

Under US-Japanese Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), the tiny island of Okinawa hosts approximately 62 percent of the US troops in Japan altogether. Military installations such as Yokota Air Base, Naval Air Facility Atsugi and Kadena Air Base are sited near residential districts polluting the air and environment. Local residents complain about excessive aircraft noise.

Okinawa is critical for US military presence in the Pacific due to its location allowing fast reach to neighboring China, Russia and Southeast Asia .... https://www.rt.com