Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that he "took seriously" the results of the referendum in Okinawa on transferring the US Futenma base to Henoko in the same prefecture, but "it is impossible to postpone the transfer dates".

He continued on by saying that the authorities need to "avoid a situation where the Futenma base, considered the most dangerous in the world, keeps being surrounded by schools and residential buildings".</s>TOKYO (AP) — The residents of Japan's southwestern island region of Okinawa have rejected a relocation plan for a U.S. military base that was put to a referendum, dealing a blow to a bilateral security deal stalled for years.

The results of Sunday's vote showed 72 percent opposed the plan for a Marines air base being built on a landfill in coastal Henoko. Support for the relocation plan totaled 19 percent.

The referendum is not legally binding but underlines Okinawans' sentiment on the relocation plan.

Henoko is to replace a base in Futenma that is in a more residential area and is criticized as noisy and dangerous.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki said Monday the results must be respected.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated the government view that the Henoko plan won't be changed.</s>TOKYO (AP) - The residents of Japan's southwestern island region of Okinawa have rejected a relocation plan for a U.S. military base that was put to a referendum, dealing a blow to a bilateral security deal stalled for years.

The results of Sunday's vote showed 72 percent opposed the plan for a Marines air base being built on a landfill in coastal Henoko. Support for the relocation plan totaled 19 percent.

The referendum is not legally binding but underlines Okinawans' sentiment on the relocation plan.

Henoko is to replace a base in Futenma that is in a more residential area and is criticized as noisy and dangerous.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki said Monday the results must be respected.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated the government view that the Henoko plan won't be changed.

People take a look at a copy of a local newspaper reporting a referendum in Naha, Okinawa, Japan, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019. The people of Okinawa voted Sunday on a plan for a U.S. military base relocation in a referendum that will send a message on how they feel about housing American troops in Japan, who many see as a burden on the group of tiny southwestern islands. The headline reads "New Base, Opposition majority."(Kyodo News via AP)</s>NAGO, Japan: Voters on the Japanese island of Okinawa have rejected the relocation of a controversial US military base, according to official results from a non-binding referendum on Sunday (Feb 24).

Some 72 per cent voted against the move with 19 per cent in favour from a 52 per cent turnout, the local government said.

Opponents of the relocation - some 434,000 - had turned out in sufficient numbers to meet the threshold required for Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki to "respect" the result of the symbolic referendum, it said.

For this to happen, one quarter of the eligible electorate - or around 290,000 people - had to vote for one of the three options: for or against relocation or a third choice of "neither."

"I will strongly demand that the government squarely face the resolute will of our people, review its present policy immediately and halt the construction," the anti-base governor told reporters.

The vote, however, is non-binding on the central government and turnout was just above 50 per cent, raising questions about what effect the referendum will have.

The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has vowed to press on with moving the base and the relocation is also backed by Washington.

The relocation of the Futenma base to Nago, 50 kilometres away, was first agreed in 1996 as the US sought to calm local anger after US servicemen gang raped a local schoolgirl.

But the plan has long been stalled in part over local opposition.

The ballot asked residents whether they supported a plan to reclaim land at a remote coastal site for the relocation of Futenma from its current location in a heavily populated part of Okinawa.

It was initially planned as a yes-no vote, but a "neither" option was added after several cities with close ties to the central government threatened to boycott the vote.

Polls opened early on Sunday morning, with about 1.15 million Okinawans eligible to vote.

Speaking after casting her ballot at a local school, voter Yuki Miyagaki said: "They are using a lot of tax money and manpower for this referendum, even though the result will not have any legal power. So we thought that we should take this opportunity and think very carefully about this issue."

"We usually shout no to the new base construction. This is a good opportunity to tell the government directly with concrete numbers: 'No'. This is an important vote," 32-year-old Narumi Haine told AFP.

"The referendum has underlined once again Okinawa's strong opposition to the relocation," Yoshinobu Yamamoto, professor of politics at the University of Niigata prefecture, told AFP.

"The result could be a negotiating card for the governor, but it's unlikely to have an immediate impact," he added.

"The dispute is far from its resolution."

The base has stoked tension with local residents over problems ranging from noise and military accidents to crime involving base residents.

Abe's government says the relocation will address those concerns, but many in Okinawa want the base relocated elsewhere in Japan.

They argue that the region bears a disproportionate burden when it comes to hosting US military troops in the country.

Okinawa accounts for less than one percent of Japan's total land area, but hosts more than half of the approximately 47,000 American military personnel stationed in Japan.

Anti-base rallies have been staged daily in Okinawa since campaigning for the referendum began in mid-February.

But the vote has not stopped reclamation work at Nago, with construction workers continuing to shovel dirt into the ocean offshore with bulldozers.

"We hope the referendum will boost the momentum of our fight," demonstrator Masaru Shiroma told AFP on Friday, as more than 100 fellow activists tried to block trucks entering the construction site.

"The government is making a fool out of Okinawa."

An opinion poll by the Asahi daily found 80 per cent of respondents want Abe's government to respect the results.

But there has been little sign the administration will shift course if the vote goes against the move, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga saying there were no plans to halt the relocation regardless of the outcome.

Japan's military alliance with the United States is seen as a key partnership, and Okinawa's location near Taiwan has long been viewed as having huge strategic importance for US forward positioning in Asia.</s>The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

TOKYO (AP) — The residents of Japan’s southwestern island region of Okinawa have rejected a relocation plan for a U.S. military base that was put to a referendum, dealing a blow to a bilateral security deal stalled for years.

The results of Sunday’s vote showed 72 percent opposed the plan for a Marines air base being built on a landfill in coastal Henoko. Support for the relocation plan totaled 19 percent.

The referendum is not legally binding but underlines Okinawans’ sentiment on the relocation plan.

Henoko is to replace a base in Futenma that is in a more residential area and is criticized as noisy and dangerous.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki said Monday the results must be respected.

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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated the government view that the Henoko plan won’t be changed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.</s>TOKYO - The people of Okinawa are voting Sunday on a plan for a U.S. military base relocation in a referendum that will send a message on how they feel about housing American troops in Japan, who many see as a burden on the group of tiny southwestern islands.

The referendum is technically not binding but interest is high for testing the public sentiment about the plan to relocate Futenma air base, which is pushed by the national government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The plan has its beginnings in 1995, when outrage erupted against U.S. service members over the rape of a 12-year-old girl. Futenma was long criticized as dangerous, being in a residential area. Washington also agreed to transfer some personnel to U.S. Pacific territory of Guam.

A replacement base is on a coastal landfill in an area called Henoko. Critics say wildlife such as coral reefs and the dugong will be hurt.

“There are so many American troops here. Of course, 99 per cent of them are good people, but then there is that 1 per cent who do evil things. It’s hard for us,” said Tomomichi Shimabukuro, who runs a seaside inn called Churaumi-kun.</s>TOKYO (REUTERS) - A majority of voters in a referendum on Okinawa opposed a plan to relocate a US military base within the southern Japanese island, but the central government said on Monday (Feb 25) it intended to press ahead with its construction plans.

Just over 70 per cent of voters opposed relocating the US Marines' Futenma air base within Okinawa in Sunday's non-binding referendum, with a turnout of 63 per cent. Okinawa governor Denny Tamaki was elected on that platform in September.

Okinawa is host to the bulk of US military forces in Japan, whose alliance with Washington is central to its security. Many Okinawa residents associate the bases with crime, pollution and accidents.

The governor is required to respect the outcome and notify the premier and the US president if the top response was backed by more than 25 per cent of eligible voters.

Tokyo's central government and Okinawa authorities have long been at loggerheads over the plan to move the air base.

A US-Japan agreement calls for moving the base, which is surrounded by schools, hospitals and shops, to a less populated area, called Henoko, on the northern part of Okinawa.

However many Okinawa residents, indignant at what they see as an unfair burden, want the base off the island altogether.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters on Monday the government was taking the results seriously, and would work to obtain the understanding of Okinawa residents, but that plans to move the base could not be deferred.

"We cannot avoid the necessity of moving Futenma, said to be the most dangerous base in the world," Mr Abe said, noting that two decades had passed since the agreement to do so was made.

"We can't put this off any longer," he said.

Mr Tamaki called on the government to accept the "firm decision" of the Okinawa people that the base relocation was unacceptable.

"I urge the government to change their view that relocating the base to Henoko is the only way and halt construction, along with more dialogue with us on closing Futenma and returning the land to us," Mr Tamaki said.

The referendum result was unlikely to derail the central government's stance, said former Chuo University professor Steven Reed.

"It's not a matter of local government policy. It's a matter for foreign policy. The deal has been made," he said.

The outcome could give a bit of a boost to the struggling opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) - the largest among Japan's opposition groups - ahead of an upper house election this year, Prof Reed said.

"It could make a substantial difference in the next election in Okinawa and it could make some difference nationwide," he said.

Support for the CDPJ was just under 6 per cent in a February survey by public broadcaster NHK, dwarfed by about 37 per cent for Abe's Liberal Democratic Party.</s>TOKYO, Feb 25 (Reuters) - A majority of voters in a referendum on Okinawa opposed a plan to relocate a U.S. military base within the southern Japanese island, but the central government said on Monday it intended to press ahead with its construction plans.

Just over 70 percent of voters opposed relocating the U.S. Marines' Futenma air base within Okinawa in Sunday's non-binding referendum, with a turnout of 63 percent. Okinawa governor Denny Tamaki was elected on that platform in September.

Okinawa is host to the bulk of U.S. military forces in Japan, whose alliance with Washington is central to its security. Many Okinawa residents associate the bases with crime, pollution and accidents.

The governor is required to respect the outcome and notify the premier and the U.S. president if the top response was backed by more than 25 percent of eligible voters.

Tokyo´s central government and Okinawa authorities have long been at loggerheads over the plan to move the air base.

A U.S.-Japan agreement calls for moving the base, which is surrounded by schools, hospitals and shops, to a less populated area, called Henoko, on the northern part of Okinawa.

However many Okinawa residents, indignant at what they see as an unfair burden, want the base off the island altogether.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters on Monday the government was taking the results seriously, and would work to obtain the understanding of Okinawa residents, but that plans to move the base could not be deferred.

"We cannot avoid the necessity of moving Futenma, said to be the most dangerous base in the world," Abe said, noting that two decades had passed since the agreement to do so was made.

"We can't put this off any longer," he said.

Tamaki called on the government to accept the "firm decision" of the Okinawa people that the base relocation was unacceptable.

"I urge the government to change their view that relocating the base to Henoko is the only way and halt construction, along with more dialogue with us on closing Futenma and returning the land to us," Tamaki said.

The referendum result was unlikely to derail the central government's stance, said former Chuo University professor Steven Reed.

"It's not a matter of local government policy. It's a matter for foreign policy. The deal has been made," he said.

The outcome could give a bit of a boost to the struggling opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) - the largest among Japan's opposition groups - ahead of an upper house election this year, Reed said.

"It could make a substantial difference in the next election in Okinawa and it could make some difference nationwide," he said.

Support for the CDPJ was just under 6 percent in a February survey by public broadcaster NHK, dwarfed by about 37 percent for Abe's Liberal Democratic Party. (Additional reporting by Elaine Lies Editing by Jason Neely and Paul Tait)</s>TOKYO (AP) — The people of Okinawa are voting on a plan for a U.S. military base relocation in a referendum that will send a message on how they feel about housing American troops in Japan.

The referendum is technically not binding but interest is high for testing the public sentiment about the plan to relocate Futenma air base.

The plan has its beginnings in 1995, when outrage erupted against U.S. service members over the rape of a 12-year-old girl. Futenma was long criticized as dangerous, being in a residential area.

A replacement base is on coastal landfill in an area called Henoko. Critics say wildlife such as coral reefs and the dugong, will be hurt.

About 1.16 million residents are eligible to vote.</s>TOKYO — The residents of Japan’s southwestern island region of Okinawa have rejected a relocation plan for a U.S. military base that was put to a referendum, dealing a blow to a bilateral security deal stalled for years.

The results of Sunday’s vote showed 72 per cent opposed the plan for a Marines air base being built on a landfill in coastal Henoko. Support for the relocation plan totalled 19 per cent.

The referendum is not legally binding but underlines Okinawans’ sentiment on the relocation plan.

Henoko is to replace a base in Futenma that is in a more residential area and is criticized as noisy and dangerous.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki said Monday the results must be respected.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated the government view that the Henoko plan won’t be changed.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe says the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, in the Okinawa Prefecture, will still go ahead despite 72% of Okinawan voters rejecting the construction of a new base in a non-binding referendum.