Japan and the United States on April 27 issued a joint statement — an interim report on the review of the 2006 plan to realign U.S. armed forces in Japan. The statement hints at the possibility of exploring new options concerning the plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from the crowded urban area of Ginowan in central Okinawa to the less populated Henoko area in the north of the island.
The U.S. apparently thinks that integrating Futenma's functions to the U.S. Air Force's Kadena Air Base, also in Okinawa, is a possible option. Both Tokyo and Washington should realize that the Okinawa prefectural assembly and people will not accept such an option because they want the Futenma's functions to leave the prefecture.
The statement also said Japan and the U.S. will push "refurbishment projects" at the Futenma base. This is raising fears that the base will remain at its current location for a long time to come. In fact, it's being reported that the U.S. proposed to Japan a ¥20 billion, eight-year Futenma refurbishment plan starting in fiscal 2012.