Okinawa base transfer costs to more than double to 930 bil. yen

The Defense Ministry said Wednesday it now estimates the costs to relocate a key U.S. military base within Okinawa will more than double from the current budget to 930 billion yen ($8.5 billion) and the construction period needs to be extended to over nine years.The ministry also said it will take 12 years to complete the project of moving U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from a crowded residential area of Ginowan to the less populated coastal zone of Henoko.The project schedule, outlined at a ministry panel along with the estimated costs and construction period, means the land used fo…READ FULL ARTICLE