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OKINAWA governor Takeshi Onaga instructed Japan’s Defence Ministry yesterday to suspend work at the proposed site of a US air base.
Mr Onaga claimed a concrete anchor thrown into the sea for a drilling survey of a reef at the designated site had damaged coral.
He took office four months ago after winning an election over a predecessor who had allowed the Henoko site to be developed to relocate the base.
Mr Onaga said the prefecture needed to conduct an independent survey to assess the damage and demanded the ministry stop activity in a week.
The central government’s effort to gain Okinawa’s understanding had been “insufficient,” he said.
But Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the survey should proceed regardless of the order.
The relocation is intended to address safety and nuisance concerns.
But Okinawans want the Futenma air base moved off the island completely and warn the construction would endanger marine life.