Thousands protest against US marine airbase transfer in Japan

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency) Some 35,000 Japanese from Okinawa protested on Sunday evening against a controversial US marine airbase on the southern Japanese island, as the two-decade-long row over the relocation of the site deepened.

The massive protest aimed at pressuring Tokyo into halting construction work on the military base, which has continued despite serious opposition from the local government in Okinawa.

Okinawa is home to more than half of the 47,000 US service personnel stationed in Japan as part of a defence alliance, a proportion many of the island's residents say is too high.

Okinawa governor Takeshi Onaga said that recent popular votes in Okinawa all showed overwhelming opposition to the move.

The construction of the base has continued despite persistent opposition from Onaga, who has the constitutional right to reject the project under the country's environmental laws.