Japan suspends relocation of US air base in Okinawa

(VOVworld) – Japan will suspend a plan to relocate the US air base in Okinawa amid strong opposition from the local authority.

People protesting the planned relocation of the US military base to Okinawa’s Henoko shout slogans at a rally in front of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s official residence, as a meeting between Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga and Abe is holding in Tokyo, April 17, 2015 (Photo: Reuters)

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Tuesday that until September 9^th, the Japanese government would hold in-depth consultations with Okinawa’s authority to resolve disagreements over the relocation.
The plan to relocate US Marines’ Futenma base to Henoko, another region of Okinawa, is part of a security agreement between Japan and the US. The plan, proposed in 1996, has faced strong criticism from local people.