Sunday morning’s Nikkei reported that the GOJ is mulling an increase in subsidies for the city of Nago, Okinawa, following the Feb. 4 defeat of the incumbent mayor who was opposed to the Futenma relocation plan by new Mayor Toguchi. The paper said the GOJ will support Toguchi by providing subsidies and grants based on the assessment that it will now be easier for the government to obtain local cooperation for the Futenma relocation work.

Today’s Sankei said Defense Ministry officials will visit Nago later this week for talks with Mayor Toguchi with the goal of obtaining his official support for the FRF initiative, which will be a requirement for increasing central government subsidies.