Thousands of people rallied on the island of Okinawa in southern Japan on Sunday to demand the relocation of a US military base which they say has been a burden on the island, dpa reported. The protests, which organizers say drew about 21,000 people, occurred just days ahead of a scheduled visit by US President Barack Obama to Japan. According to a 2006 agreement between Tokyo and Washington, the Futenma base is to be moved from the city centre of Ginowan to reclaimed land near Henoko on the island"s coastal region. The row over the base could overshadow Obama"s visit as newly- elected Japanese Premier Yukio Hatoyama, who has campaigned for a more equal relationship with the US, has said the base could be moved off the island or even out of the country entirely. In total 47,000 US military personnel are currently based in Japan. -- SPA
