Japan's Defense Ministry has begun pouring earth and sand in a new area at Cape Henoko for the planned U.S. military base relocation, expanding reclamation work that continues to face opposition from Okinawa Prefecture.

What happened: The Defense Ministry notified Okinawa Prefecture that it has started earth-and-sand pouring in a new area east of Cape Henoko, adjoining a section where reclamation work began last November. The ministry is also promoting soil improvement by driving about 71,000 sand piles into the seabed and constructing embankments in areas of softer undersea ground.

Why it matters: This advance marks a major step toward relocating the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma air station from Ginowan to the Henoko coastal area—a move that the Okinawa Prefectural Government actively opposes. The expansion signals the project is proceeding despite local resistance and ongoing technical challenges.

What to watch: Landfill work in Oura Bay on the eastern side has been delayed due to soft undersea ground, indicating that soil conditions remain a constraint on the timeline and scope of the reclamation effort.