The residents of a port on the Japanese island of Okinawa have voted against plans to build a massive floating US military heliport offshore.

The non-binding referendum in Nago was the first time Japanese citizens have had the chance to vote on the construction of a new American military base in the country.

There was an 82% turnout for the vote which followed weeks of intensive campaigning. Those in favour of the base argued it would be good for the economy.

However, many people have campaigned for years to reduce the US presence on the island which is home to 27,000 of the 47,000 American troops in Japan.

Anti-American feeling has been growing on Okinawa since a schoolgirl was raped by three US servicemen three years ago.

Many residents also lay claim to the land where the bases are built and others complain about the noise from the aircraft and general disruption caused by the military presence.

With 98% of the vote counted, the tally was 16,246 against building the helicopter facility at the port of Nago and 2,556 for construction.

Ministers face uncomfortable decision

The result is a setback to the Japanese government which is obliged to provide facilities for US forces under their security alliance with America. BBC correspondents say it would be difficult for ministers to ignore the message that voters have sent them.

Tokyo and Washington want to build the offshore helicopter facility in order to shut down the Futenma Air Station in Okinawa as part of a blueprint to reduce the US military concentration on the island.

The 1,500-metre-long offshore heliport may be the only answer as other regions of Japan have refused to take new bases.
 

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