The United States Marine Corps in Okinawa may hand back a 10,000-acre (40.5-sq. -km) tract of land to Japan early next year, its commander said Saturday as Washington confronts a surge in opposition to U.S. military bases there following the murder of a Japanese woman.
The return of the land, part of a jungle training camp, known as Camp Gonsalves in Northern Okinawa, was agreed to in 1996, but was delayed by protesters blocking the construction of helipads by the Japanese government that the marines say they need before the handover.
"There have been discussions recently and we are hopeful that in the second half of this year there will be some movement," Lt. Gen. Lawrence D. Nicholson said at his headquarters at Camp Foster in Okinawa. "It would be the largest land return since 1972."
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