National / Politics Jun 7, 2020
Bloc against U.S. base transfer keeps majority in Okinawa election
Sunday's contest is the first prefectural assembly election since anti-base Gov. Denny Tamaki became governor in October 2018.
National Mar 27, 2020
Top court rejects Okinawa's bid to stop government filling in Henoko bay
The Supreme Court on Thursday backed a lower court’s rejection of a petition from the Okinawa Prefectural Government to block landfill work for the planned relocation of a U.S. military base within the prefecture. In the lawsuit, Okinawa sought to revive its withdrawal of approval ...
Editorials Dec 29, 2019
The government needs to assess whether the Futenma replacement project — with the substantial delays, cost overruns and local opposition — is still a viable project.
National Dec 23, 2019
Land reclamation for U.S. base at Henoko in Okinawa to take five years longer
The government has concluded that the period for landfill work must be extended to about 10 years from the initially planned five years for a project to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, informed sources said Monday. The expected extension ...
National / Politics Apr 9, 2019
LDP battling pro-merger and anti-base headwinds in Osaka and Okinawa by-election campaigns
Official campaigning began Tuesday for key Lower House by-elections in Osaka and Okinawa prefectures in what is seen as a prelude to the Upper House election this summer. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is competing with opposition candidates seeking to streamline administrations ...
National / Politics Mar 25, 2019
Land reclamation in Okinawa enters next stage at Henoko relocation site for U.S. Futenma base
The government began to perform the next stage of land reclamation work in Okinawa Prefecture on Monday, as part of a project to build a replacement facility for a contentious U.S. air base in the prefecture despite local opposition. The work to pour soil and ...
National / Politics Mar 1, 2019
Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki requests three-way talks with Tokyo and U.S. after Futenma 'no' vote
Following up on the decisive Okinawa referendum, the governor asks Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to launch trilateral talks with Washington to review the contentious relocation plan for Futenma air base.
National Feb 26, 2019
Outside Japan consulate in New York, protesters slam Abe's disregard for Okinawa 'no' vote on Henoko
Opponents of a controversial plan to relocate a U.S. air base within Okinawa held a rally in New York on Monday following a weekend prefectural referendum that showed more than 70 percent of voters oppose the move. The rally outside the Japanese Consulate in New ...
National / Politics | ANALYSIS Feb 25, 2019
by Eric Johnston
“Now that the clear opposition of the Okinawa people has been conveyed, it’s up to individuals in the rest of Japan to consider our wishes,” an activist says.
Reference | Q&A Feb 24, 2019
Okinawa's referendum on relocating the U.S. Futenma base to Henoko: Why now and what's the point?
by Eric Johnston
On Sunday, Okinawa Prefecture's 41 cities, towns and villages held a referendum on whether to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from Ginowan, in the central part of the main island, to a replacement facility being built beside Camp Schwab off the coast ...
National Jan 30, 2019
Some parts of Okinawa still may not vote in referendum on U.S. base transfer to Henoko
Some parts of Okinawa may not participate in a local referendum on a controversial relocation plan for a U.S. air base within the island prefecture after its assembly failed to unanimously pass a resolution Tuesday. After some municipalities in the prefecture opposed a plan to ...
National Jan 28, 2019
Japanese government starts building sea wall for new U.S. base in Okinawa's Henoko
The government began constructing a new sea wall Monday in Okinawa as part of a controversial plan to relocate a U.S. military base within the prefecture, the local defense bureau has said. The move is expected to draw fresh backlash from the Okinawa Prefectural Government, ...