Okinawa Eyes Base Relocation Referendum on Feb. 24

November 27, 2018

Naha, Okinawa Pref.--Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki is making final arrangements to hold a prefectural referendum on Feb. 24 next year on whether to approve the relocation of a key U.S. military base within the southern Japan prefecture, a senior prefectural government official has said.

The focus is on whether Tamaki can obtain cooperation from municipal governments that oppose the referendum. Their cooperation is essential in holding the referendum as the municipal governments will be taking on the clerical work.

Following a direct petition from a citizens' group, Okinawa Prefecture submitted to the prefectural assembly in September a draft ordinance for holding the referendum on a central government plan to transfer the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma air station, located in a congested area in the Okinawa city of Ginowan, to a new facility to be built in the Henoko coastal area of Nago in the same prefecture.

The draft ordinance was approved at a plenary session in October. The ordinance stipulates that a referendum be held by the end of April next year.

However, some municipalities have shown a negative stance toward the referendum, with the Ishigaki city assembly approving a written statement opposing the vote.

Ginowan Mayor Masanori Matsugawa has also expressed hesitation about cooperating in the referendum. Jiji Press