Amid opposition, court orders workplan for relocation of US base in Japan

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Despite opposition by local population, a court in Japan on Wednesday asked provincial authorities to approve a revised plan for relocation of a US military base, local media said.

The Fukuoka High Court’s Naha branch ordered Okinawa provincial Governor Denny Tamaki to “approve a modified plan for landfill work to relocate a key US base” with the southern province, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

If orders are not followed within three working days, the court said the government of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida through the Land Ministry will get the work done by bypassing the local administration.

Natives of the province, however, have opposed the relocation plans of the US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the Nago area in Henoko after an agreement was reached in 1996.

Okinawa hosts majority of the US military’s facilities in Japan.

Around 50,000 US soldiers are deployed in Japan under a bilateral defense pact since the end of World War II in 1945.

Although the provincial governor can appeal against order at the Supreme Court, it cannot halt the work unless any ruling from the top court orders such measures.

During the trial, the local government said: “The strong opposition among the local population, which wants the base moved out of Okinawa entirely, constitutes the very essence of public interest that needs to be protected.”

It was, however, in 2013 that then Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima allowed relocation plans which includes landfill for the US base.

But his successor Takeshi Onaga canceled the decision in 2015.

Later in 2018, Japan’s top court ruled against Onaga’s move and the landfill work started in 2018.