There will be no change in the plan agreed to by the Japanese and U.S. governments to move U.S. naval aircraft to a U.S. Marine Corps base in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, even if local residents vote against it, Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga hinted Friday.
Asked what he would do if a majority of Iwakuni residents vote down the plan in Sunday's plebiscite in the city, Nukaga said it would only be "appropriate" to ponder such a situation if that is in fact the result of the poll.
But he also said the central government will continue efforts to win over Iwakuni on the U.S. military realignment plan regardless of the vote, effectively ruling out the possibility of reconsidering the plan.