The central government will go ahead with plans to move 57 U.S. carrier-based warplanes and support personnel to the U.S. Marine Corps Iwakuni Air Station in Yamaguchi Prefecture, despite the overwhelming opposition expressed in a nonbinding local plebiscite, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said Monday.
The aircraft, off the carrier USS Kitty Hawk, are to be relocated from the Atsugi Naval Air Facility in Kanagawa Prefecture, the top government spokesman said.
Some 87.4 percent of 49,681 Iwakuni residents who went to the polls Sunday said "no" to the planned relocation, which was agreed to and announced by Japan and the United States in an October interim report on U.S. military realignment. The plebiscite turnout rate was 58.68 percent.