Yamaguchi Prefecture officially told the central government Monday that it will let the U.S. Marine Corps transfer its KC-130 refueling tankers from Futenma air base to Iwakuni to help reduce the U.S. military presence on Okinawa.
In a meeting with Vice Gov. Hidenori Fujibe and Iwakuni Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the long-delayed initiative to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma was still on track.
"We will do our utmost to realize as soon as possible the return (of land) occupied by the Futenma Air Station and its relocation to Henoko, Nago," he was quoted as saying by a participant.