Photo/Illutration Land reclamation work continues off the coast of the Henoko district of Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for a U.S. military base. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki said on Dec. 25 that he will not approve the central government’s design change application for land reclamation work to relocate a U.S. military base within the prefecture.

The central government plans to execute its administrative subrogation, which allows it to take over the approval process and proceed with the land reclamation work, by Dec. 28.

Tetsuo Saito, the land minister, who holds jurisdiction over the Public Water Body Reclamation Law, will notify the Okinawa government of the schedule as early as Dec. 26.

This will be the first case of the central government taking over the duties of a local government, raising criticism that it may distort the equal relationship between the central and local governments.

Tamaki announced his refusal from a hospital where he has been treated for lobar pneumonia on Dec. 25, which was the deadline that the Naha branch of the Fukuoka High Court gave him to make a decision.

The court ordered the prefecture to approve the design change requested by the Defense Ministry for the seabed area that has been described as “soft as mayonnaise.”

Tamaki said in a statement, “I have determined that it is difficult to approve the plan because there are various issues with the ruling and I, as the governor, have received a mandate from many residents who oppose the construction of the new base at Henoko.”

The reclamation plan is part of the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan to the Henoko district of Nago, both in Okinawa Prefecture.

The prefectural government plans to appeal the high court ruling.

Construction work off Henoko will begin in the area not yet approved by the prefectural government as early as January next year.

(This article was written by Taro Ono and Daisuke Yajima.)

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