Okinawa is home to approximately 70% of U.S. Forces in Japan, including the controversial U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Futenma base in Ginowan City. In 1996, a plan to relocate MCAS Futenma to Henoko in Nago City, Okinawa, was presented, but because of strong opposition from Okinawans, the construction has not yet been realized even 21 years later. The local governor and the mayor of the city where Henoko is located strongly oppose the relocation. Over 70% of the Okinawa population is against the plan. With the start of construction for land reclamation on the shores of the Henoko area, persistent resistance from Okinawans is strengthening with more legal action being undertaken by Governor Takeshi Onaga to stop the construction. These could further undermine the US presence in Okinawa as well as the US-Japan alliance.
For the past three years, ND has hosted study sessions for defense and security experts to analyze and research the role of the US Marines in Okinawa and the state of “deterrence”.
Authors:
Kyoji Yanagisawa
（ND Board Member / Former Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary）
Tomohiro Yara
（ND Board Member and Senior Researcher / Former Okinawa Times editorialist / Part-time Lecturer at Okinawa International University）
Shigeru Handa
（Tokyo Shimbun editorialist and senior staff writer）
Akihiro Sado
（Professor at Chukyo University School of Business and Public Policies）
