Twelve politicians from Japan's Okinawa Prefectural Assembly have told lawmakers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas that their government is prepared to meet the costs of relocating up to 4,000 American troops from Futenma in Okinawa to Tinian.
The Okinawan lawmakers have asked for the CNMI's help to convince the US government to consider Tinian as the relocation site for the 4,000 marines who will be left at Futenma after 8,000 troops are moved to Guam.
The CNMI Senate president, Paul Manglona, says all military-related decisions lie with the US government, and the local politicians can only express their support for the relocation of the marines to Tinian.
