Protesters in Okinawa rallied after being removed from the replacement site for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on Monday as they marked nearly a year since seawall construction began.
The government is building the seawalls in preparation for effectively moving the contentious base further north to a site adjacent to the Marines' Camp Schwab, also on Okinawa. The project requires building an offshore airstrip and landfill work.
Over 300 people, including lawmakers, took part in Monday's sit-in protest outside the gates of Camp Schwab in Nago's Henoko district. The protest will last for six days through Saturday.