Japan govt takes Okinawa to court over US base relocation

[Judi Lynn]

Source: The Straights Times

Japan govt takes Okinawa to court over US base relocation
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Published16 min ago

TOKYO (AFP) - Japan on Tuesday (Nov 17) sued its southern region of Okinawa over local resistance to a new United States military base, the latest chapter in deepening mistrust between central authorities and the government of the strategic island.

The lawsuit comes amid a long-running drama between Tokyo, keen to satisfy security ally the United States, and Okinawa, where frustration over a seven-decade American military presence is rife.

Pacifist sentiments run high on the island that accounts for less than one per cent of Japan's total land area but hosts about 75 per cent of US military facilities in the country.

Takeshi Onaga, Okinawa's governor, has said he would "do his best" to prevent the central government from building a new US Marine base in a remote part of the island to replace the existing Futenma facility in a heavily populated area.

Read more: http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japan-govt-takes-okinawa-to-court-over-us-base-relocation

[davidpdx]

1. That is going to be an interesting show down

Okinawa is fighting the base tooth and nail despite the Japanese Government's backing of it.