An American marine base on the Japanese island of Okinawa is to be relocated, according to officials.<br /><br />The local governor has now given his approval to move Futenma airbase from the centre of Ginowan City to a remote part in the north of the island.<br /><br />Okinawa is home to over a dozen American military bases and around 26,000 US personnel are stationed on the island.<br /><br />There has long been pressure from residents for the American footprint to be reduced.<br /><br />The original agreement to move Futenma came in 1996, after the rape of a local schoolgirl by American servicemen.<br /><br />It’s estimated it will take around ten years to fully move the base.
