The Okinawa Defense Bureau last week resumed offshore seabed drilling for a geological survey off the Henoko district in Nago in Okinawa Island — a preparatory step for reclaiming land to build a replacement facility for the U.S. Marine Corps' Air Station Futenma.
The work resumed for the first time since Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga took office after winning the November gubernatorial election by promising to halt construction at Henoko.
Local residents' opposition to the plan will only increase if the national government pushes ahead with the construction. The government needs to heed the will of Okinawans, as expressed in the recent series of elections.