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Politics
Jan 7, 2026 23:06 (JST)
Naha, Okinawa Pref., Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Wednesday met with Nago Mayor Taketoyo Toguchi to seek local understanding for relocating the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma air base to the southern Japan city.
The first meeting between Koizumi and Toguchi since the defense minister took office in October last year was held in Naha, the capital of the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa. The Futenma base, located in a densely populated area in the city of Ginowan in Okinawa, is slated to be relocated to the Henoko coastal area in the Okinawa city of Nago.
He addressed concerns about the noise from U.S. military aircraft, stating, “We will try to minimize the impact on residents of the area.”
Representatives of residents of Henoko and surrounding areas also attended the meeting. The Nago mayor requested continued support for regional development and the elimination of citizens’ concerns. In response, Koizumi said, “I will take this seriously and respond.”
Koizumi also met with Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, commanding general of the U.S. Marine Corps’ III Marine Expeditionary Force and Okinawa area coordinator. They agreed to reduce burdens linked to the hosting of U.S. bases while maintaining the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
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