With two months to go until its mayoral election, the Okinawa city of Nago said Tuesday it will formally request Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima not to approve an application to start dumping land into the sea off its Henoko coast for the planned replacement base for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.
The decision, expected to be formally approved by the municipal assembly later this week, was made after Nago canvassed residents for their views, receiving about 2,500 responses.
Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine's announcement puts increased pressure on Nakaima, who must soon decide whether to approve the central government's application to begin depositing soil for runway construction at Henoko for the Futenma replacement facility.