U.S. Returns Okinawa Site to Japan
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TOKYO — The U.S. armed forces returned a training ground on Okinawa to Japanese control Tuesday as part of an agreement to reduce the American military presence on the southern Japanese island.
The Aha drill site--composed of 1,186 acres of land and 19,513 acres of water--is the first of 11 U.S. facilities to revert to Japan under a 1996 deal, regional defense official Kenji Fujimoto said.
Washington has promised to eventually give back 20% of the territory in Okinawa occupied by U.S. troops.
Marines have been using the Aha facility for training, including exercises in amphibious landings and setting up command posts.
Nearly 60% of the 47,000 U.S. troops in Japan are stationed in Okinawa.
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