Okinawa's governor has told Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda that the prefecture will allow the central government to submit a report required to relocate a US base within Okinawa.

A government panel to discuss issues on Okinawa held its first meeting under the Noda Cabinet on Saturday.

Noda informed Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima that a budget allocation to promote the prefecture's economy stands at more than 290 billion yen, or 3.7 billion dollars, for the next fiscal year that starts in April.

Noda said the government increased the allocation by 807 million dollars from the figure for this fiscal year in response to a request from the prefecture.

He said more than half of that amount, around 2 billion dollars, will be provided as a grant the prefecture is allowed to use at its discretion.

Nakaima acknowledged the government's effort for Okinawa as the allocation was close to the amount the prefecture had asked for.

On the plan to relocate a US air base in a densely populated area in the prefecture to the Henoko district of Nago, Nakaima later told reporters that the prefectural government will follow administrative procedures based on relevant laws.

He indicated the prefecture will receive an environmental impact assessment report to be submitted by the government as the initial process for the relocation.
But Nakaima denied any link between the grant fund and the base transfer, stressing his opposition to the relocation plan.

Source: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20111224_13.html

Image credit: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national/news/images/20111027p2g00m0dm029000p_size5.jpg