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[Dave Chance]

http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/u-s-japan-announce-agreement-to-send-okinawa-marines-to-guam

TOKYO �
Japan and the United States agreed Wednesday to proceed with plans to transfer thousands of U.S. troops out of the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, leaving behind the stalled discussion about closing a major U.S. Marine base there.

Tokyo is hoping the reduction of troops on Okinawa will ease opposition and demonstrate its desire to stand by promises to reduce the island�s share of the troop-hosting burden. Officials say they remain committed to closing Futenma, which the U.S. and Japan agreed to do after the 1995 rape of a schoolgirl by three American servicemen led to mass protests.

But Okinawa Gov Hirokazu Nakaima gave a mixed response.�A relocation without local consent would be impossible. We want Futenma moved out of Okinawa,� Nakaima said in a statement.

The most likely replacement site, on a less crowded part of the island, is widely opposed on Okinawa and its viability remains a heated political debate.