Okinawa Governor Koja supports Henoko relocation to resolve Futenma risks

During the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly's representative questioning session, Governor Koja expressed his support for the relocation of Futenma Air Station to Henoko. He described the move as a “realistic solution” to eliminate the dangers posed by Futenma as quickly as possible and stated his intention to strongly urge the central government to reduce the burden of military bases on the prefecture.

Additionally, the prefecture addressed upcoming military activities. Kazuhiro Tarama, Chief of the Governor's Office, stated that the upcoming US-Japan joint integrated exercise, ‘Keen Sword,’ must “take sufficient consideration of the feelings of the prefectural residents,” particularly following a recent robbery and murder incident involving a US service member. The prefecture has requested a response from the Okinawa Defense Bureau regarding these concerns.