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| US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma |
NAHA, Japan (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government on Monday launched offshore construction work to build a replacement facility for a U.S. Marine base in Okinawa amid strong local opposition.
The work began after U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed last week to go ahead with the base relocation.
The work is part of the central government's plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Air Station Futenma from a densely populated area of Ginowan to the Henoko coastal area in Nago, both in the southern island prefecture.
Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga returned on Sunday evening from a U.S. trip to relay local opposition to the relocation plan to the administration of President Donald Trump.
He is likely to seek to thwart the project by such steps as refusing to give permission for moving coral reefs in the land reclamation area.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshide Suga said, "Based on relevant law, the government will pay as much consideration as possible to the natural environment and the livelihoods of local people as we move forward with work to relocate (the base to) Henoko."
Read the full story at The Mainichi
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