TOKYO, May 17 (UPI) -- The United States, relying on a 2006 deal, has rejected the latest Japanese proposal on relocating a U.S. Okinawa Marine Base, sources told Kyodo News Monday.
Washington informed Tokyo any new site for the Futenma Air Station should not differ much from that agreed to four years ago.
The latest development raised the likelihood the new site would not differ much from the 2006 plan, Kyodo reported.
The latest Japanese proposal called for building a new facility with a pile-supported runway in shallow waters off the coast of Nago in the same Okinawa prefecture, the report said. However, the United States objected as that might call for a new environmental assessment, which in turn would further delay the relocation, the sources told Kyodo. The United States also was not in favor of building a pile-supported runway because of risks of terrorist attacks, the report said.
Under the 2006 plan, the two countries agreed to relocate the air station's heliport functions on reclaimed land off Nago near the U.S. Marine Corps' Camp Schwab, the report said.
Japan's government has been forced to contend with a number of demonstrations from Japanese people over the issue.
