Saturday morning’s Mainichi said the Abe administration is set to step up pressure on Okinawa with the goal of promoting Futenma relocation. It has chosen to link central government subsidies to progress on FRF construction in part because no major elections are planned this year and as a result, local opposition to the linkage probably will not have a direct bearing on local and national politics. The paper said although the Kantei appears to be determined to steadily move forward with the FRF initiative and the construction of helipads in the Northern Training Area, newly-appointed LDP Secretary General Nikai is inclined to take a soft line toward Okinawa. An unnamed LDP official expressed apprehension about “disarray” between the Kantei and the LDP leadership.