The government has selected an environmentally controversial plan to build an airport for civilian and U.S. military use on a reef off the Henoko district of Nago on the main island of Okinawa, government officials said Thursday.
The decision was made by a panel of officials from the national government and Okinawan authorities in a meeting at Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's official residence.
"I believe the plan was proposed as the most appropriate method at this point, after various considerations and coordination with the local authorities," Koizumi said.