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Futenma Base Stays Open Amid Japan's Runway Delays

2/20/2026

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Story summary
  • The United States will not return Futenma in Okinawa until Japan builds a longer runway than at Henoko.
  • The U.S. Department of Defense told the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that Futenma will remain operational until its requirements are met.
  • Delays in relocating forces could heighten local opposition to the U.S. military.
  • Futenma has been criticized as a dangerous airfield, and Henoko has been the replacement site since the late 1990s.