Yomiuri and Tokyo Shimbun took up the disclosure by a GOJ source that the USG will officially return more than half of the Northern Training Area in Okinawa on Dec. 22 and that a ceremony will be held in Okinawa probably two days before that. Ambassador Kennedy and Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga are expected to attend. As a result of the return, the land area occupied by the U.S. military in the island prefecture will be reduced by about 17%. The land will be returned to the landowners in about a year at the earliest.