The New Year begins with no prospect of breaking the stalemate on the proposed relocation of the US Futenma Air Station in Okinawa. The Japanese government, the local administration and the people of Okinawa remain wide apart on the issue.

Japan's Defense Ministry delivered an environmental assessment of the relocation plan to the Okinawa prefectural government's office before dawn last Wednesday. The government says it took the unusual action because protesters had tried to block the delivery.

The Japan-US agreement calls for the relocation of the Futenma air field from Ginowan to Nago, also in Okinawa.

The government apparently wants to show that some progress has been made on the Futenma issue, as the United States has eliminated funding for the relocation of the base in the fiscal 2012 defense budget. The US Congress has also frozen all related funds until there are signs of progress.

The Japanese government is concerned that the Futenma base will remain in densely populated Ginowan City.

It plans to ask Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima to allow the reclamation of land off Nago City for the planned alternative base, shortly after the environmental analysis is completed.

But civic groups in Okinawa continue to reject the environmental analysis report, and the governor is demanding the relocation of the base outside the prefecture.

Source: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120101_22.html

Image credit: http://the-diplomat.com/new-leaders-forum/files/2011/07/Futenma-400x300.jpg