Defense Secretary Ash has said the U.S. military will look to give back some land in Okinawa to Japan’s government government within the end of the year, Reuters reported Tuesday.
Idrees Ali writes that a senior U.S. defense official said approximately 4,000 hectares of land in Northern Okinawa is planned to be returned to Japan during a formal ceremony slated for Dec. 21 and 22.
“It will be a positive development for the alliance, demonstrating the commitment of both governments to the realignment of U.S. forces,” a defense official told Reuters.
The report noted that Carter went to Japan to address potential anxieties brought by the win of president-elect Donald Trump who has recently announced plans to ask for more money from allies to sustain U.S. forces.
