Washington has given up on a plan to transfer 1,500 marines stationed in Okinawa to a base in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and is proposing to Japan that they remain in Okinawa, according to sources.
The new proposal was brought up during bilateral talks at the vice minister level Monday and Tuesday in Washington to review the composition of U.S. forces in Japan.
The two sides failed to reach a conclusion because Japan is against keeping the marines in Okinawa, the sources said Wednesday.