Ryukyu Shimpo led with a report saying that it has learned from a U.S. Marine Corps website that the Marines began renovating a runway and landing area at the Iejima Auxiliary Airfield on Feb. 19. and that the construction work will likely continue until late June. The website reportedly says the purpose of the renovation is to “maximize the operational capability of the island.” The paper wrote that this statement indicates that the Marines plan to strengthen the functions of the base and that the base-hosting burden, including noise pollution, may increase if more drills involving U.S. military aircraft are conducted after the renovation. The paper also wrote that although the U.S. military notified the government of the village of Ie of the construction in February through the Defense Ministry’s Okinawa bureau, the prefectural government was not informed. The paper added that the U.S. military told officials of the local municipality and assembly and the Okinawa Defense bureau when they visited the construction site on May 8 that the length and width of the runway will not change.