Japanese City Opposes New Runway

Japanese city opposes new runway
UPI
Sep 8 05:22 PM US/Eastern

NAGO, Japan, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- Residents of a Japanese city remain opposed to plans to build a U.S. military runway near their homes, businesses and schools.

"We want the runway to be built offshore to prevent (noise from) the base from affecting local residents' daily lives," Nago's mayor, Yoshikazu Shimabukuro, Saturday told Defense Minister Masahiko Komura.

The runway is to be built as part of the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station to Camp Schwab in Nago on Okinawa, reported Mainichi Daily News.

Nago's demand for an offshore runway runs counter to an agreement made last year between Japanese and U.S. defense officials to build it at the camp, the newspaper reported.