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Politics
Nov 30, 2025 21:16 (JST)
Naha, Okinawa Pref., Nov. 30 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese central government and Okinawa Prefecture remained apart Sunday over the planned relocation of a U.S. military base within the southernmost Japan prefecture.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara visited Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki at the prefectural office in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, and explained the central government’s policy of promoting the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma air station, located in a heavily populated area in Ginowan in the prefecture, to the Henoko coastal district in Nago, another Okinawa city, hoping to win understanding from the prefecture side.
Meanwhile, Tamaki urged the central government to abandon the relocation plan, and the talks ended in a stalemate.
It was the first meeting between the two since the launch of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration in October. Kihara also serves as minister in charge of reducing the burden on Okinawa of hosting U.S. military bases.
Kihara said to Tamaki that the central government will steadily advance the return of the Futenma air station site to the prefecture based on a consolidation plan for U.S. military facilities in Okinawa and reduce the base-hosting burden on the prefecture.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
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