About 70 environmental conservation groups have issued a statement seeking cancellation of the long-delayed plan to move the U.S. Futenma air base elsewhere in Okinawa Prefecture.
The organizations said they plan to send the statement, issued on Thursday, the International Day for Biological Diversity, to the Japanese and U.S. governments as well as Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima.
Among the groups is Ramsar Network Japan, which is involved in the preservation of swamps.