Japanese gov't steps up U.S. base construction amid local opposition

The government on Tuesday ratcheted up its efforts to facilitate construction of more seawalls at the planned relocation site of a U.S. air base in Okinawa, a day after the local governor expressed his frustration at the heavy U.S. presence in the prefecture in a meeting with the U.S. ambassador to Japan.The government started delivering crushed rock to the site by sea, a move aimed at enabling workers to bring in construction materials to the planned landfill area more efficiently than using trucks. But the work saw protesters on boats seek to hinder the operation.Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onag…READ FULL ARTICLE