An estimated 90,000 people in Okinawa joined local politicians in a massive rally April 25 to call for the removal of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and vent their anger against the central government for dragging the issue out.

Thousands of protesters rally in Yomitan, Okinawa, on April 25 to call for the removal of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from the prefecture. KYODO PHOTO

Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima took the podium to urge the central government to move the Futenma air station out of the prefecture.

"Some Cabinet ministers have indicated their tolerance for the possibility of Futenma airfield remaining as it is, but I say absolutely no to that," Nakaima said. "I want the prime minister to never give up and to honor his pledge."

Before his Democratic Party of Japan came to power in September, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama promised the people of Okinawa he would try to transfer the airfield out of the prefecture or even abroad.

Under a 2006 bilateral accord, the heliport functions of the Futenma base are to be transferred from densely populated Ginowan to a coastal zone in the U.S. Marines' Camp Schwab in Nago, also in Okinawa, by 2014.

Hatoyama has vowed to settle the issue, which has strained U.S.-Japan ties, by the end of May.

Nakaima said the burden of hosting U.S. military bases in Okinawa has exceeded the capacity of the residents and asked people in other parts of Japan to "lend a helping hand" to spread the responsibilities.

"This is not a problem that only concerns Okinawans. The safety of each Japanese individual is connected to Okinawa," the governor said, making a reference to the Japan-U.S. security treaty.

Kyodo News