Camp Schwab, Okinawa

Camp Schwab is a United States Marine Corps camp located in northeastern Okinawa, Japan, that is currently home to the 4th Marine Regiment and other elements of the 28,000 American servicemen based on the island in fulfilment of the 1952 commitment of the United States to defend Japan. The Camp was dedicated in 1959, in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Albert E. Schwab, who was killed in action during the Battle of Okinawa.

The unit conducts live-fire training and coordination with other units to provide a forward defense of Japan.

Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to move

The governments of the United States and Japan agreed (in the Special actions committee on Okinawa) on October 26, 2005 to move the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma base from its location in the densely populated Ginowan City section of the island to the more northerly and remote Camp Schwab. Thousands of Marines will relocate, affecting the retail economy near both bases. The move is partly an attempt to relieve tensions between Okinawan locals and the Marine Corps. Protests from environmental groups and residents over the construction of part of a runway at Camp Schwab, and from businessmen and politicians around Futenma and Henoko, have occurred [http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5097132] .

The legality of the proposed heliport relocation has been questioned as being a violation of International Law, including the World Heritage Convention the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage [http://www.henoko.com/] . The paper also questions whether the current use of Camp Schwab for amphibious training violates these three conventions.

External links

* [http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20061206a1.html Japan Times Online article showing the layout of the new airport]
* [http://www.jca.apc.org/HHK/Appeals/000403.html ヘリ基地反対協　声明]