[arfingcat]

It’s not clear of what the Japanese “suggestion” consists. I think the Kadena air base is also in Okinawa. If this were considered in a state-side setting, there would be people pushing it in hopes of developing the vacated land, and others looking for relief from noise. I’d need some background to reach the conclusion you offer. You may be right, but I don’t see a basis for it, in the article at least.

[Psalm 73]

Correct, Kadena is on Okinawa. Futema is in a more densley populated area (its golf course has a highly-traveled public road running right through it) - Kadena air base is pretty crowded, so I don't think all present Futema operations can be conducted from Kadena.
The USMC has a huge tract of land in the north part of the island where they conduct jungle traing (sparsley populated).
The heck with anybody else, WE need Kadena as a forward operating base to protect our sea lanes.

[aviator]

Futema MCAS is on the south edge of Kadena AB. Both are on the island of Okinawa.

[wolfcreek]

For reference. (my Daughter was stationed at Kadena)

[snoringbear]

“It’s not clear of what the Japanese “suggestion” consists. I think the Kadena air base is also in Okinawa. If this were considered in a state-side setting, there would be people pushing it in hopes of developing the vacated land, and others looking for relief from noise. I’d need some background to reach the conclusion you offer. You may be right, but I don’t see a basis for it, in the article at least.”

You are correct; both bases are located in Okinawa. And, if one should peel the onion, probably would find that this is an attempted land grab so to commercially develop the land. However, my statement/position was not just based upon this article. I have acquired this position over several years of reading/watching protests against U.S. military troops in these places, especially Europe, they have been the most vocal. It does seem as though the S. Koreans have cooled their jets a bit since the N. Koreans have been so belligerent lately. I have looked this data up before but am too lazy to do it right now, but the EU has a larger population than the U.S., larger GDP, but spends far less on their own defense than the U.S., measured either in absolute dollars or as a percentage of GDP.