GINOWAN, Okinawa Pref. — A new rub, or possibly an incentive, has been stirred into the mix of opinions, debate, politicking and posturing that is the pressure-cooker of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa.

Amid the tug-of-war over where to move the base and what to do with the land it now occupies, a concerned citizens' group unveiled plans Wednesday to pay ¥8 billion for the current base site in Ginowan and turn it into a theme park dedicated to a famous Western novel popular in Japan.

And to help with front money and to diversify the themes to cover as many mood bases as possible, a Scandinavian consortium wants to add nostalgia, camp and kitsch.

Although the marine air base has yet to be returned to Japan as part of a bilateral U.S. forces realignment, little progress has been reported in finding an alternative site for the marine unit. But the civic group and the Scandinavians believe they can muster the investors to acquire the land and even prepare a relocation site.

"Nobody wants the site returned to farmland. It's prime tourist territory," explained A. Vaark of the consortium, which is offering to put up another ¥8 million in seed money for the site and existing structures.

"The current Quonset Hut No. 3 has been sitting idle since the choppers got too big to roll inside. A little white paint, a false peaked green roof and gables, and presto, Anne of Green Gables Land. Japanese fans will no longer have to fly all the way to Prince Edward Island to see the real mock house of literary lore," Vaark said. "We could have hourly shuttle flights from Tokyo and Osaka. It's a win-win."

The consortium also said airlines are interested in the tourism potential of the theme park, since it would be closer to home than the real replica.

"The marines' Olympic-size pool can be widened to include the 'Dugong Water Slide' and there are even a few idle Swan Boats that can be had cheap up by Mount Fuji," Vaark noted. "And with some dry ice and fake leaves, we can turn the base's Quiet Park into a permanent autumn setting and call it Yon-sama Wood. Fans will come here in droves, maybe even from South Korea.

Vaark added: "Even the runway could be used for Funny Car championships and NASCAR exchange events."

The civic group is meanwhile not just plotting new schemes for how to use the base land but has even demonstrated some geopolitical strategic thinking in their proposed solution to the Futenma impasse.

"If we pool our funds and get the ruling coalition's understanding, as well as that of Washington, I think the perfect place to relocate the base is to the Senkaku Islands," said Nozo Nonukie of the group Ginowan Entrepreneurs' Themes Outside Usual Topics.

"The same thing can be done as was accomplished at Okinotorishima Island: We pour in enough concrete to keep the rocks above high tide, pave off a runway, and voila, you have a marine base close to the Taiwan flash point, near China and in a place even North Korea can't find on its targeting map. Also, there's good fishing in the area.

"But we'll have to work on the beaches," he said.

A government official, however, declined comment, or to be named, citing official policy on unfounded scuttlebutt.

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