The United States wants its military aircraft to be able to land at or take off from both ends of the two runways to be constructed near Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, with the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, but Tokyo has rejected the request, according to sources.
The U.S. asked last month to install approach lights at both ends of the proposed runways, which will intersect at one end to form a V. The airfield will extend on landfill offshore from Camp Schwab. Allowing takeoffs and landings in both directions of the two runways would negate the Japanese government's effort to keep U.S. aircraft from flying near residential areas.
The proposed airfield, straddling the tip of Cape Henoko, will assume the flight operations now at the Futenma base in densely populated Ginowan.