The United States is asking Japan to shoulder about ¥20 billion over an eight-year period for major repairs to Futenma air base in Okinawa Prefecture, sources said Thursday.
The government is reluctant, saying it would give the impression that the base, whose planned relocation within Okinawa has been stalled by strong local opposition for over a decade, may indeed stay there for the indefinite future, the sources said.
U.S. officials have reportedly said that extensive repairs to the entire base, including the aging runway and hangars, are indispensable for maintaining adequate safety. The repair work will be taken up during talks Friday in Tokyo on the reorganization of U.S. forces in Japan.