Top court nixes Okinawa governor's appeal against U.S. base landfill

Construction work for the relocation of the U.S. Marines Air Station Futenma is undertaken in the Henoko are of Nago in Okinawa Prefecture in January. | KYODO photo

by KYODO
March 2, 2024

The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by the Okinawa governor against a ruling that paved the way for the state to override the local government and begin landfill work on a controversial U.S. military base transfer. The decision, dated Thursday, is likely to be seen as an endorsement for the central government to continue its work to reinforce soft ground at the relocation site for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within the southern island prefecture.

The central government and Okinawa Prefecture have long been at odds over the transfer of the Futenma base from the densely populated Ginowan to the Henoko coastal area in Nago. Okinawa has hosted the majority of U.S. military facilities in Japan since World War II ended in 1945.