Okinawa U.S. Military Base Relocation Plan Faces Setbacks Again

Reference News Network, February 22 According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post website on February 20, the United States has a controversial Air Force base in the densely populated center of Okinawa, Japan. For nearly thirty years, Washington and Tokyo have promised to close the Futenma base, but the future of that plan is now uncertain.

Reports indicate that the U.S. military will not return the Futenma Air Force Base to Japan unless Tokyo builds an alternative long-distance runway.

Japan Broadcasting Corporation reported on the 18th that the U.S. Department of Defense has informed the Government Accountability Office that it will not return the Marine Corps Futenma Air Force Base until its operational needs are met.

If the U.S. refuses to relocate its troops to the new base in Henoko, the long-delayed relocation may face further postponement. Analysts say this situation could reignite dissatisfaction among Okinawa residents regarding the U.S. military presence and complicate U.S. and Japan's plans to adjust military power in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Futenma base has only a single runway that is 2.74 kilometers long, while the relocation facilities at the Schwab Camp in Henoko, once the land reclamation and construction work is completed, will have two runways arranged in a "V" shape, each expected to be 1.8 kilometers long.

The proposal to close the Futenma base has been around for a long time, but it only began to gain attention after Henoko was identified as an alternative site in the late 1990s. Critics have labeled the Futenma base as one of the world's most dangerous airports because many residents live nearby.

The Henoko plan has been highly controversial because it requires extensive land reclamation in Oura Bay to build runways and related infrastructure. Critics argue that this will disturb residents and damage the coral reefs and seagrass beds that are habitats for the endangered dugong.

The U.S. military is also cautious about this move, as the Futenma base is situated at a higher elevation, while the land and airspace at the Henoko base are more restricted.

Masayuki Masuda, a scholar at the National Institute for Defense Studies of Japan's Ministry of Defense, stated that the U.S. Department of Defense is emphasizing the importance of security and an extended defense posture in the Asia-Pacific region. He noted that air superiority is clearly a focal point.

Masuda said that a plan previously agreed upon by Tokyo and Washington may no longer meet the needs of the U.S. military, and any changes to the ongoing construction projects at Henoko could significantly delay its official activation.

At a congressional hearing, the U.S. Department of Defense stated that it is continuing negotiations with Japan to find a longer runway. "Selecting an alternative runway is the responsibility of the Japanese government, and the Futenma facilities will not be returned to Japan until a suitable site is chosen."

The Japanese side stated that the U.S. military could use civilian airports in Okinawa Prefecture, as the U.S. military is currently using Naha International Airport in the suburbs of the prefectural capital.

Analysts say that in a county where the burden of U.S. military presence has long caused resentment among residents, it is unlikely to provide more land to build another air force base with an extended runway.

Tomokura Shigemura, a professor of international relations at Waseda University in Tokyo, expressed surprise at this new development, as the U.S. had previously planned to reduce the number of American military personnel in Okinawa by about 30,000, relocating several thousand to Guam, Hawaii, and northern Australia.

Shigemura said, "I don't understand why the U.S. initially agreed if the two shorter runways at the Henoko base do not meet operational needs. My feeling is that the U.S. does not want to leave the Futenma base; they will do everything possible to stay there."

This shift will bring new pressure to Tokyo and indicate that U.S. security considerations in the Indo-Pacific region are changing.

A report released by the Atlantic Council on February 3 mentioned that Washington and Tokyo reached an agreement in 2006 to relocate 5,000 U.S. Marines and their 1,300 family members in Okinawa to Guam and other locations, but the report stated that the agreement has fallen behind the evolving situation. (Translated by Ge Xuelai)