Okinawa Presents Draft Ordinance for Base Relocation Referendum

September 21, 2018

Naha, Okinawa Pref.- The Okinawa prefectural government presented Thursday a draft ordinance for a prefectural referendum on whether to accept the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma base within the southern Japan prefecture.

The prefectural government also put forward a supplementary budget plan to spend 551 million yen for the referendum.

The prefectural assembly is expected to start deliberations on the referendum plan and budget after the Sept. 30 gubernatorial election in the prefecture.

The move by the prefectural government was based on a request from a civic group, which on Sept. 5 called for such a vote using signatures of 92,848 people, or some 8 pct of eligible voters in Okinawa.

The relocation plan being promoted by the Japanese government calls for building a new facility in the Henoko coastal area in the Okinawa city of Nago to transfer the Futenma air station from Ginowan in the same prefecture.

Many Okinawa citizens want to have their views about the Futenma relocation plan reflected in prefectural government policy, Vice Governor Moritake Tomikawa said at the assembly. Tomikawa is acting as governor following the death of Takeshi Onaga last month. Jiji Press