The Japanese government will not change its plans to relocate the United States Marine Corps Air Station Futenma (MCAS Futenma) in Okinawa, as the current location poses a threat to the base, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Friday.
MCAS Futenma is considered the most dangerous airfield in the world due to its location next to residential buildings in the city of Ginowan in Okinawa. Its relocation implied filling up about 0.60 square miles of the coastal marine belt, which negatively affected coral reefs, prompting protests of the local population and environmentalists.
"From the perspective of maintaining the restrictive policy of the US-Japan alliance and the danger of the MCAS Futenma base airport, relocating the base to Henoko is the only solution. This position is unalterable. We will continue our efforts to build trust with the local people, and simultaneously put efforts to implement the relocation as soon as possible," Matsuno said at a press conference in Tokyo.
On Thursday, Okinawa governor Denny Tamaki refused to approve the changed plan for the construction of a new base in Henoko. Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said that his department would take a close look at the reasons behind the refusal and develop a plan of retaliatory measures. (ANI/Sputnik)
( With inputs from ANI )
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