Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki stepped up his conflict with the central government Saturday over plans for a U.S. military base transfer within the island prefecture, rejecting calls for understanding as the government resumed construction work.
Tamaki, who won September's gubernatorial election on an anti-base transfer platform, met with Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya Saturday morning at the prefectural government office. The governor has been urging the state to move the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma outside the prefecture, where the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan are located.
"I was elected by pledging to oppose the relocation to Henoko. The will of the people will not waver," Tamaki told Iwaya.