Reversing a campaign pledge, the Okinawa chapter of the Liberal Democratic Party now supports replacing the Futenma base in Ginowan with a new airstrip in Nago, bowing to intensifying pressure from Tokyo, Okinawa-based LDP members and local businesses seeking to profit from constructing the new base.

The decision, made Wednesday, came soon after the five LDP Diet members from Okinawa agreed to support the plan to build a new base in Nago's Henoko district. The plan has long been stalled due to strong resistance throughout Okinawa. All 41 towns and villages in the prefecture have expressed opposition to building the replacement base.

Masatoshi Onaga, head of the LDP prefectural chapter, justified the about-face by saying LDP Diet members had said that if opposition to the Henoko plan continued, Futenma would never be closed. "The prefectural chapter will pursue a policy based on the content of the agreement reached by the Diet members," he said.