Okinawa set to build runways for US military

The area in Okinawa prefecture where the US air base will be relocated. Pic/AP

Japan's Supreme Court on Monday dismissed Okinawa's rejection of a central government plan to build US Marine Corps runways on the island and ordered the prefecture to approve it despite protests against the American troops' presence.

Monday's ruling upheld a high court ruling in March that the central government's plan and its instruction for Okinawa's approval are valid. It will move forward the suspended construction at a time Okinawa's strategic role is seen increasingly important for the Japan-US military alliance in the face of growing tensions with China.

Japan's government began the reclamation work at the Henoko area on the eastern coast of Okinawa's main island in 2018 to pave the way for the relocation of the Marine Corps Futenma air station from a crowded neighborhood on the island.

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The government later found out about 70 per cent of the reclamation site is on soft ground, and submitted a revision to the original plan with additional land improvement. The Okinawa prefectural government rejected the revision as insufficient and suspended the reclamation work.

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