Japan Press Weekly

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2010 December 22 - 2011 January 4 [OKINAWA]

Gov’t suspends base subsidies to Nago City

The Defense Ministry on December 24 announced that it will suspend the payment of base-hosting subsidies to Okinawa’s Nago City because of the municipality’s opposition to the construction of a new U.S. base in its Henoko district.

Nago City by FY 2008 has been provided nearly 1.8 billion yen in such subsidies which is given to municipalities for their cooperation in the implementation of the realignment plan of U.S. forces in Japan.

Nago City Mayor Inamine Susumu, who was elected to office in January, is firmly opposed to the building of a new base as an alternative to the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City, Okinawa. An anti-base construction force obtained the majority of seats in the city assembly election in September.

Mayor Inamine expressed his indignation on the same day, saying, “It amounts to punishment for those who do not agree with central government decisions.”

Nago City had planned to build playgrounds for public schools and improve city roads with the subsidies.