Japan and the United States both continue to adjust their security strategies to counter China’s strategic and tactical military rise. As this happens, some experts are starting to reevaluate whether security infrastructure will meet the future demands of the East Asian security landscape. One facility being reevaluated is the Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF), which is being constructed by the Japanese and U.S. governments in Henoko, Okinawa. Various technical, operational, and environmental problems have arisen at the facility.

The soft ground located in the seabed of the construction site presents a particularly challenging technical problem, and the Japanese government is considering the need for additional improvement work to stabilize it. Under these circumstances, it will take at least an estimated 12 years before the FRF is fully operational, and the cost is currently expected to be four times the initial estimate. The seismic activities in the area have also been addressed by experts, who have expressed concern about the existence of active earthquake fault lines. In this webinar, we will welcome Associate Professor Shoji Kamao of Nihon University, who specializes in geotechnical engineering, to discuss the technical issues surrounding the construction of the FRF, the future outlook for the project, and the implications for the Japan-U.S. security alliance readiness.

The webinar will be recorded.

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