Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa on Saturday failed to bridge the gap between the central government and the Okinawa Prefectural Government over the relocation of the U.S. Futenma military base.
During a meeting in Naha, Ichikawa asked Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima to accept the plan to transfer the base to the Henoko district in Nago from a densely populated area of Ginowan, but Nakaima replied that it would "simplify matters if the base was moved outside the prefecture."
The relocation has faced strong opposition from the local community. Okinawa has long hosted the bulk of U.S. forces in Japan.
Tokyo hopes to present to the prefectural government by the end of the year an environmental impact assessment report, a necessary step to push forward the stalled relocation.
Ichikawa told reporters after the meeting that he has "not specified a date" for submitting the report. "I will proceed (with submitting the report) with the consent of the Okinawan people," he said, suggesting the central government may postpone its submission.
Tatsuo Kawabata, state minister in charge of Okinawa affairs, and Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba are also arranging trips to Okinawa to persuade the local community to accept the relocation plan while presenting economic incentives for the prefecture.