TOKYO — The Japanese government aims to reduce the burden of hosting U.S. military bases on Okinawa Prefecture while maintaining the nation’s powers of deterrence, now that the U.S. Marine Corps has begun its transition from the prefecture to the U.S. territory of Guam.
Japan also aims to steadily implement a plan to relocate the U.S. military’s Futenma Air Station in Ginowan to the Henoko district of Nago in the prefecture, while making efforts to obtain the understanding of local people. The relocation is a key concern involving U.S. forces stationed in the prefecture.
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani met with Nago Mayor Taketoyo Toguchi in the city on Saturday. Nakatani told the mayor, “We are doing everything we can to ensure the [Futenma relocation] work progresses as quickly as possible.”
Nakatani also referred to the Marine Corps’ transition to Guam, saying, “We will continue making utmost efforts so that the issues needing to be handled are steadily resolved one by one.” Nakatani emphasized the government’s stance of striving to reduce the burden on the prefecture.
Toguchi urged Nakatani, “It’s important to alleviate the fears of city residents and protect their living environment.”
In addition to the relocation of Futenma Air Station, the transfer of U.S. marines stationed in Okinawa Prefecture to Guam has been a key element of the realignment plan for U.S. forces in Japan.
The total cost of the transition to Guam is about $8.6 billion for both Japan and the United States, with Japan shouldering up to $2.8 billion of the amount.
From 2009 to 2022, the Japanese government paid about $2.75 billion to construct facilities to accommodate marines in Guam.
The transition finally began many years after 2006, when the two governments reached an agreement on the issue. A senior Defense Ministry official said, “We want to convey to Okinawa Prefecture that real progress is being made in the reduction of local people’s burdens.”
On the other hand, the security situation in East Asia has been worsening due to China’s advancement and North Korea’s progress in developing nuclear weapons and missiles.
The U.S. Marine Corps plans to keep its 12th Marine Littoral Regiment, which would respond to a military contingency on a remote island in Okinawa Prefecture.
For its part, the Japanese government plans to upgrade the Ground Self-Defense Force’s 15th Brigade, which is based in Naha, to a division by fiscal 2027. This will enhance the SDF’s powers of deterrence and response capabilities.
The government is also preparing to cope with a military contingency in Taiwan by building facilities for utilizing private-sector ports and airports, to protect Japanese nationals in an emergency and for training in peacetime.
Six years have passed since the placement of earth and sand began on Dec. 14, 2018, in connection with the relocation of Futenma Air Station to the Henoko district. On Saturday, Nakatani inspected the site of the landfill and confirmed the progress that has been made. He also exchanged opinions with local people in districts neighboring the area to which the air station will be moved.
As legal battles are almost concluded with the Okinawa prefectural government, which has opposed the relocation, landfill work is expected to progress smoothly from now on.
But some of the work on the side facing Oura Bay is expected to be highly difficult because soft ground was discovered.
Nakatani told reporters, “Methods for improving the foundation have often been successful in the past, and the new air station can be built without any problem.”
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