Japan's top court orders Okinawa to allow a divisive government plan to build US military runways
Source: Associated Press
Japans top court orders Okinawa to allow a divisive government plan to build US military runways
BY MARI YAMAGUCHI
Updated 8:16 AM EDT, September 4, 2023
TOKYO (AP) Japans Supreme Court on Monday dismissed Okinawas rejection of a central government plan to build U.S. Marine Corps runways on the island and ordered the prefecture to approve it despite protests by locals who oppose the American troops presence.
Mondays ruling upheld a high court ruling in March that the central governments plan and its instruction for Okinawas approval are valid. It will move forward the suspended construction at a time Okinawas strategic role is seen increasingly important for the Japan-U.S. military alliance in the face of growing tensions with China.
Japans central government began the reclamation work at the Henoko area on the eastern coast of Okinawas main island in 2018 to pave the way for the relocation of the Marine Corps Futenma air station from a crowded neighborhood on the island.
The government later found out about 70% of the reclamation site is on soft ground, and submitted a revision to the original plan with additional land improvement. The Okinawa prefectural government rejected the revision as insufficient and suspended the reclamation work.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/japan-us-okinawa-military-753685ce51dbc9958e1b1d6c43fcbf4d