Japan Press Weekly

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2026 April 22 - 28 [US FORCES]

USFJ won’t return Futenma unless Japan offers a ‘long runway’ separate from Henoko

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has recently hardened its position that it will not return the Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City in Okinawa to Japan unless a separate “long runway” is secured elsewhere, even after the construction of a new U.S. base in Henoko in Okinawa’s Nago City is completed.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in its report issued in April 2017 recommended the use of a separate runway within Okinawa, stating that the runway at the new Henoko base is too short to handle emergency situations with larger aircraft.

The Pentagon, in its documents related to FY 2027 budget proposal released by April 24, concurred with the GAO’s assessment. These documents state that the new Henoko base will not have a long enough runway for all fixed-wing aircraft, and that it will not be able to accommodate the combined forces and the UN forces currently being hosted at the Futenma base. They also explicitly state that the Japanese government is responsible for selecting an alternative runway, and that the Futenma base will not be returned until this alternative is made available.

In short, this means that in addition to Henoko, Japan must provide a civilian airport for dual use by the USFJ. Several U.S. documents suggest that the U.S. administration has Naha Airport in mind. However, the Japanese government, fearing public backlash, continues to avoid specifying the name of the airport.

Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae denied this, stating, “We do not anticipate that the Futenma base will not be returned.” Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro also repeatedly stated that no discrepancy exists between Japan and the U.S., but their views are clearly divergent.

Past related article:
> USFJ may retain both Futenma base even after new Henoko base is constructed [February 12, 2026]