rki.news | Sources Xinhua
TOKYO, July 26: Residents and officials in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture have urged the Japanese and U.S. governments to set a clear timeline for the return of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.
The Ginowan city assembly, along with local business groups, held a rally on Sunday attended by around 1,000 people and issued a joint statement calling for an immediate handover schedule.
The statement said residents have faced decades of aircraft noise and safety risks linked to the base, declaring that their patience has reached its limit. They demanded the prompt return of Futenma and a specific timetable for its closure.
Ginowan Mayor Atsushi Sakima said 30 years have passed since Japan and the United States agreed to return the base, warning that delays could extend the issue for another decade.
The city plans to submit its demands to Japan’s prime minister’s office, Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Embassy.
The 1996 agreement to return Futenma has remained incomplete, as plans to relocate the facility to Henoko in Nago City continue to face challenges. Okinawa residents have long opposed the concentration of U.S. military facilities due to noise, safety concerns and other issues.