It has been learned that the US Department of Defense has told a congressional audit body that Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in southern Japan will not be returned to Japanese authorities unless Tokyo provides a runway longer than the ones at its replacement facility.
Work is underway to relocate the air station in Okinawa Prefecture from the densely populated city of Ginowan. The new site is located off Henoko in the city of Nago.
Futenma Air Station has one runway that measures 2,740 meters long. Japan’s Defense Ministry plans to build two 1,800-meter runways at the replacement facility.
The US Government Accountability Office recommended in 2017 that the defense secretary “direct the appropriate entities to resolve selected identified capability deficiencies associated with the reduction in runway length at the Futenma Replacement Facility by, for example, selecting other runways that would support mission requirements.”
The Defense Department said it is continuing to work with the Japanese government to find a longer runway. It said, “Finalizing the selection of that alternative runway is the responsibility of the Government of Japan, and the Futenma facility will not be returned to Japan until it makes that selection.”
Japan’s Defense Ministry says a legal framework is in place for use of civilian airports, so there are no impediments.
It says selecting an alternative runway beforehand would be difficult, as such a case is based on an emergency scenario.
The ministry says it does not anticipate not having Futenma returned after the relocation of base functions is completed.
AloJapan.com