Landfill work begins for U.S. base transfer within Okinawa

Landfill work begins for U.S. base transfer within Okinawa

Photo taken from a Kyodo News plane on Nov. 28, 2025, shows work getting under way to dump landfill into Oura Bay off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within the southern Japan island prefecture.

Landfill work begins for U.S. base transfer within Okinawa

Landfill work begins for U.S. base transfer within Okinawa

Photo taken from a Kyodo News plane on Nov. 28, 2025, shows work getting under way to dump landfill into Oura Bay off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within the southern Japan island prefecture.

Landfill work begins for U.S. base transfer within Okinawa

Landfill work begins for U.S. base transfer within Okinawa

Photo taken from a Kyodo News plane on Nov. 28, 2025, shows work getting under way to dump landfill into Oura Bay off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within the southern Japan island prefecture.

Landfill work begins for U.S. base transfer within Okinawa

Landfill work begins for U.S. base transfer within Okinawa

Photo taken from a Kyodo News plane on Nov. 28, 2025, shows work getting under way to dump landfill into Oura Bay off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within the southern Japan island prefecture.

Landfill work begins for U.S. base transfer within Okinawa

Landfill work begins for U.S. base transfer within Okinawa

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki meets the press at the prefectural headquarters in Naha on Nov. 28, 2025, as work gets under way to dump landfill into Oura Bay off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station within the southern Japan island prefecture.

U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Photo taken from a drone on Aug. 20, 2024, shows work to drive a stake into the seabed in Oura Bay off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of a key U.S. military base within the southern Japan island prefecture. The stake planting work began the same day.

U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Photo taken on Aug. 20, 2024, shows work to drive a stake into the seabed in Oura Bay off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of a key U.S. military base within the southern Japan island prefecture. The stake planting work began the same day.

U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Photo taken on Aug. 20, 2024, shows work to drive a stake into the seabed in Oura Bay off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of a key U.S. military base within the southern Japan island prefecture. The stake planting work began the same day.

U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Photo taken from a Kyodo News airplane on Aug. 20, 2024, shows work to drive a stake into the seabed in Oura Bay off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of a key U.S. military base within the southern Japan island prefecture. The stake planting work began the same day.

U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Photo taken from a Kyodo News airplane on Aug. 20, 2024, shows work to drive a stake into the seabed in Oura Bay off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of a key U.S. military base within the southern Japan island prefecture. The stake planting work began the same day.

Paris Olympics: Closing Ceremony

Paris Olympics: Closing Ceremony

Japanese sailors (from L) Oura Nishida Capiglia, Shibuki Iitsuka and Miho Yoshioka enter Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris, on Aug. 11, 2024, during the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

Preparation for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Preparation for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

People in canoes, surrounded by patrolling boats, protest against pile-driving work by the central government in Oura Bay off the Henoko coast in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, on July 4, 2024, as preparation prior to coastal protection work is under way for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture. ==Kyodo

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

NAGO, Japan Kyodo - Preparations for work required to address soft ground starts in Oura Bay in the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture on Jan. 9, 2024. (Kyodo)

CORRECTED: Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

CORRECTED: Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Photo taken from a drone on Jan. 9, 2024, shows Oura Bay off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, the site for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture.

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Preparations for work required to address soft ground starts in Oura Bay in the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture on Jan. 9, 2024.

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Preparations for work required to address soft ground starts in Oura Bay in the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture on Jan. 9, 2024.

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Preparations for work required to address soft ground starts in Oura Bay in the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture on Jan. 9, 2024.

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Preparations for work required to address soft ground starts in Oura Bay in the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture on Jan. 9, 2024.

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Preparations for work required to address soft ground starts in Oura Bay in the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture on Jan. 9, 2024.

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Photo taken on Jan. 9, 2024, shows anti-base protesters on a boat (R) approaching work vessels in the Oura Bay in the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, the site for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture. The Japanese government started the same day preparations for work required to address soft ground in the bay.

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Anti-base protesters on a boat in waters in Oura Bay, off the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, show their opposition to the planned relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture on Jan. 9, 2024. On the same day, the Japanese government started preparations to address the soft ground in the bay to continue with offshore landfill work for the transfer.

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Photo taken on Jan. 9, 2024, shows the Oura Bay in the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, the site for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture.

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Photo taken on Jan. 9, 2024, shows the Oura Bay in the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, the site for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture.

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Photo taken on Jan. 9, 2024, shows the Oura Bay in the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, the site for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture.

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Site for U.S. base relocation in Okinawa

Photo taken on Jan. 9, 2024, shows the Oura Bay in the Henoko coastal area in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, the site for the relocation of a key U.S. military base from another part of the southern Japanese island prefecture.

(SP)CHINA-NINGBO-ASIAN GAMES-SAILING (CN)

(SP)CHINA-NINGBO-ASIAN GAMES-SAILING (CN)

(230927) -- NINGBO, Sept. 27, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Gold medallists China's Zhao Huancheng and Wang Saibo pose with silver medallists Singapore's Ke Xin Denise Lim and Xiaman Justin Liu and bronze medallist Japan's Shibuki Iitsuka and Oura Nishida Capiglia during the medal ceremony for the Mixed Multihul Nacra 17 Race of Sailing at the 19th Asian Games in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

(SP)CHINA-NINGBO-ASIAN GAMES-SAILING-MIXED MULTIHULL NACRA(CN)

(SP)CHINA-NINGBO-ASIAN GAMES-SAILING-MIXED MULTIHULL NACRA(CN)

(230925) -- NINGBO, Sept. 25, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Iitsuka Shibuki/Nishida Capiglia Oura of Japan compete during the Mixed Multihull Nacra 17 Race of Sailing at the 19th Asian Games in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

Japan to recommend Christian sites as World Heritage

Japan to recommend Christian sites as World Heritage

TOKYO, Japan - File photo taken July 2014 shows Oura Cathedral in the southwestern Japan city of Nagasaki, which the government will recommend as a World Heritage site together with other nearby historic Christian sites.

Conservationist checks seaweed bed in Oura Bay, Nago

Conservationist checks seaweed bed in Oura Bay, Nago

NAGO, Japan - A survey by the Nature Conservation Society of Japan is conducted in Oura Bay in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, on Aug. 22, 2014. No trace of dugongs eating seaweed there was found during the survey. The society's Mariko Abe suggested it is highly likely the marine mammals have abandoned the area as a feeding ground due to an influence of the presence of boats for drilling survey and others for the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma airbase.

Coral habitat in Oura Bay, Nago

Coral habitat in Oura Bay, Nago

NAGO, Japan - Clownfish and various other kinds of fish inhabit coral reefs in Oura Bay, Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, near the site of planned landfill for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, as seen in this photo taken on Aug. 22, 2014.

Conservationist checks seaweed bed in Oura Bay, Nago

Conservationist checks seaweed bed in Oura Bay, Nago

NAGO, Japan - The Nature Conservation Society of Japan's Mariko Abe examines a bed of seaweed which dugongs can feed on in Oura Bay, Nago in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, on Aug. 22, 2014.

Coral habitat in Oura Bay, Nago

Coral habitat in Oura Bay, Nago

NAGO, Japan - A survey by the Nature Conservation Society of Japan confirms the presence of clownfish and other kinds of fish inhabiting coral reefs in Oura Bay, Nago, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, near the site of planned landfill for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma airbase, as seen in this photo taken on Aug. 22, 2014.

Fish in Okinawa sea

Fish in Okinawa sea

NAHA, Japan - Fish swim near a boat in the Bay of Oura off Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, on Dec. 21, 2009. A relocation facility for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station, also in Okinawa, is planned to be built in the nearby sea.

Blue coral colonies in Okinawa sea

Blue coral colonies in Okinawa sea

NAHA, Japan - Photo taken Dec. 21, 2009, shows colonies of blue coral in the Bay of Oura in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture. A relocation facility for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station, also in Okinawa, is planned to be built in the nearby sea.

2 of 14 beached whales in Kagoshima Pref. still alive

2 of 14 beached whales in Kagoshima Pref. still alive

OURA, Japan - Divers struggle to rescue a whale found ashore in the town of Oura in southwestern Japan on Jan. 23. A total of 14 whales were found ashore Jan. 22, but only two were confirmed still alive. A ship with a crane (background) also joined in efforts to tow the surviving whales back to sea.

2 of 14 beached whales still alive

2 of 14 beached whales still alive

OURA, Japan - Fourteen whales are seen washed ashore in the town of Oura, Kagoshima Prefecture, in southwestern Japan on Jan. 23. Town officials said two of them have been confirmed still alive while the rest were presumed dead. Efforts to tow the surviving whales, 8 to 10 meters in length, back to sea have resumed Jan. 23 as rough seas forced town officials and local rescue workers to suspend rescue efforts the previous day.

14 beached whales found in Kagoshima Pref.

14 beached whales found in Kagoshima Pref.

KAGOSHIMA, Japan - Photo shows some of the 14 whales which were found washed ashore Jan. 22 in the town of Oura in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Three of them may be dead.

PORTUGAL-TOURISM-REBOUND

PORTUGAL-TOURISM-REBOUND

(220808) -- LISBON, Aug. 8, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Beachgoers sunbathe and swim at Oura beach in Albufeira, Algarve region, Portugal on Aug. 6, 2022. Tourism is rebounding quickly in Portugal. (Photo by Pedro Fiuza/Xinhua)

PORTUGAL-TOURISM-REBOUND

PORTUGAL-TOURISM-REBOUND

(220808) -- LISBON, Aug. 8, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Beachgoers sunbathe and swim at Oura beach in Albufeira, Algarve region, Portugal on Aug. 6, 2022. Tourism is rebounding quickly in Portugal. (Photo by Pedro Fiuza/Xinhua)

14 beached whales found in Kagoshima Pref.

14 beached whales found in Kagoshima Pref.

KAGOSHIMA, Japan - Photo shows some of the 14 whales which were found washed ashore Jan. 22 in the town of Oura in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Three of them may be dead.

2 of 14 beached whales still alive

2 of 14 beached whales still alive

OURA, Japan - Fourteen whales are seen washed ashore in the town of Oura, Kagoshima Prefecture, in southwestern Japan on Jan. 23. Town officials said two of them have been confirmed still alive while the rest were presumed dead. Efforts to tow the surviving whales, 8 to 10 meters in length, back to sea have resumed Jan. 23 as rough seas forced town officials and local rescue workers to suspend rescue efforts the previous day.

Japan abandons bid for World Heritage listing of Christian sites

Japan abandons bid for World Heritage listing of Christian sites

File photo taken in July 2014 shows the Oura Church in the city of Nagasaki. The church is one of the 14 churches and other Christian sites in southwestern Japan that the government had sought to list as World Heritage sites. Japan decided on Feb. 9. 2016, to withdraw the request at the urging of a UNESCO panel. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Diver examines coral reel in Nago

Diver examines coral reel in Nago

A diver is examining the condition of a coral reef on Feb. 3, 2016, at Oura Bay in Nago, Okinawa, where a key U.S. military base may be relocated from another Okinawan city. There are concerns that work for the planned relocation will negatively affect the coral reef, which has been recovering following a temporary decline. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Mass held on 150th anniv. of confession by secret Christians in Nagasaki

Mass held on 150th anniv. of confession by secret Christians in Nagasaki

Christians gather for a mass at Oura Church, a Roman Catholic church in Nagasaki, southwestern Japan, on March 17, 2015, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of secret Christians' confession of faith to a foreign padre that they had hidden to avoid central government persecution. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Mass to mark 150th anniv. of 'discovery of Christians' in Nagasaki

Mass to mark 150th anniv. of 'discovery of Christians' in Nagasaki

A mass is conducted on March 17, 2015, at Oura Cathedral, a Roman Catholic church in the city of Nagasaki, Japan, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of confession of faith by hiding Christians to a foreign padre. They had been practicing their faith in secret for some 250 years. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Church marks 150th anniv. of visit by secret Christians

Church marks 150th anniv. of visit by secret Christians

Masaru Matsuo, a descendant of secret Christians, stands next to a cenotaph at Oura Tenshudo Church, Japan's oldest existing church, in the southwestern city of Nagasaki, on March 17, 2015, the 150th anniversary of an event in which a group of secret Christians, including his ancestors, visited the church to tell a French priest they shared his faith. Matsuo said he is proud of his ancestors for keeping their faith despite persecution. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Church marks 150th anniv. of visit by hidden Christians

Church marks 150th anniv. of visit by hidden Christians

Photo shows Oura Tenshudo Church, Japan's oldest existing Christian church, in the southwestern city of Nagasaki on March 17, 2015, and participants in a mass held the same day to commemorate the 150th anniversary of an event in which a group of hidden Christians visited the church to tell a French priest that they shared his faith. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Church marks 150th anniv. of visit by hidden Christians

Church marks 150th anniv. of visit by hidden Christians

A message from Pope Francis is read aloud during a mass at Oura Tenshudo Church, Japan's oldest existing Christian church, in the southwestern city of Nagasaki on March 17, 2015, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of an event in which a group of hidden Christians visited the church to tell a French priest that they shared his faith. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Church marks 150th anniv. of visit by hidden Christians

Church marks 150th anniv. of visit by hidden Christians

A mass is held at Oura Tenshudo Church, Japan's oldest existing Christian church, in the southwestern city of Nagasaki on March 17, 2015, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of an event in which a group of hidden Christians visited the church to tell a French priest that they shared his faith. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Church marks 150th anniv. of visit by hidden Christians

Church marks 150th anniv. of visit by hidden Christians

An envoy from the Vatican conducts a ceremony in front of a monument at Oura Tenshudo Church, Japan's oldest existing Christian church, in the southwestern city of Nagasaki on March 17, 2015, prior to a mass to commemorate the 150th anniversary of hidden Christians' visit there to tell a French priest that they shared his faith. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo