Tokyo plans to defer a decision on specifics for the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within Okinawa until after the prefecture's gubernatorial election in late November, government sources said Sunday.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his Cabinet, including Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa, are expected to discuss the matter Tuesday to confirm the deferral plan, the sources said.
The move comes as Japanese and U.S. experts work to complete a study by the end of August on the technical details of the planned Futenma relocation, based on a bilateral accord reached in May.