The Defense Ministry on March 22 submitted an application for land reclamation off the Henoko coastal area in Nago City in the northern part of Okinawa Island to build a replacement facility for the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, which is located further south in Ginowan City.
The government's move is based on a February agreement between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Barack Obama that the Futenma functions should be moved to Henoko at an early date. The submission of the land reclamation application will give Okinawans the impression that Tokyo is trying to strengthen Japan-U.S. ties at the expense of Okinawa and will further intensify their opposition to the Henoko plan.
The Okinawa prefectural assembly and the assemblies of Okinawa Prefectures' 41 municipalities have adopted resolutions to oppose the Henoko plan and Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima said that the relocation the Futenma functions to Henoko is "practically impossible." Environmental groups such as the Nature Conservation Society of Japan and the World Wide Fund for Nature Japan also strongly oppose the land reclamation plan, saying that it will destroy the precious ocean environment that is home to dugongs and rich in coral. Japan and the United States should rethink the Henoko plan and sincerely heed Okinawan people's call for moving the Futenma functions out of Okinawa Prefecture.
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