The Japanese and U.S. governments are considering the construction of a giant offshore runway on the sea off Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, for the relocation of the U.S. Navy air corps from Atsugi Air Base in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japanese government sources said Saturday.

The Megafloat structure is planned to be built about four kilometers off U.S. Marine Corps' Iwakuni Air Station to accommodate night-landing practice for a carrier-borne aircraft unit.

By shifting some of the U.S. air corps practice to the Megafloat, the two governments aim to reduce noise pollution and obtain consent from local governments near the Iwakuni base for the relocation of U.S. forces.

The two governments plan to include the plan in their interim report on the realignment of U.S. forces stationed in Japan to be drafted in October.

Construction costs for the Megafloat are estimated at between 400 billion yen and 500 billion yen.

The use of a Megafloat for an airport or military facility is rare, the government sources said.

A new offshore runway at the Iwakuni base is under construction and scheduled to be completed in fiscal 2008 about one kilometer from the current one. The plan envisages construction of the Megafloat about four kilometers from the new runway.

"Being four kilometers away, nearby residents won't be bothered by the noise," a senior government official said.

About 70 fighter jets, including F/A-18 fighters, aboard the USS Kitty Hawk, which uses the U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa Prefecture as its home port, are being considered for the relocation to the Iwakuni facility.

Full Story