The Okinawa Prefectural Government on Monday filed a complaint against the central government's decision to overrule its attempt to block landfill work for the Futenma base relocation.
The prefectural government filed the complaint with a third-party panel tasked with handling disputes with the central government, in an effort to restore Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga's revocation of his predecessor's approval for work related to building a replacement for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.
"The decision by the land minister represents illegal involvement" by the central government in local affairs, Onaga told a news conference at his office in Naha.
The Okinawa government plans to file a lawsuit if it is not satisfied with the decision of the third-party panel, the Central and Local Government Dispute Management Council.
The central government is proceeding with formerly invalidating Onaga's revocation, and is also planning to file a lawsuit.
Political wrangling has escalated since Onaga, on Oct. 13, revoked the approval for the landfill work granted by then-Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima, prompting land minister Keiichi Ishii last Tuesday to suspend the revocation.
The central government restarted the controversial landfill work Thursday at the new base site in the Henoko area of Nago, northern Okinawa.
The prefectural government and many residents oppose the relocation plan and want the base moved out of Okinawa to reduce the burden of hosting U.S. forces in Japan.
Japan and the U.S., which struck an accord in 1996 on the return of Futenma's current site to Japanese control, say the relocation plan is the "only solution" for removing the dangers posed by the base in crowded Ginowan, without undermining the deterrent power of the alliance.