TOKYO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- A panel for dispute resolution on Monday rejected a complaint by Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki over the Japanese central government's plan to relocate a U.S. air base within the southern island prefecture, local media reported.
The Japanese government authorized the landfill work in October for the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the Henoko coastal area of Nago, a controversial decision which has drawn criticism and opposition among local people.
Tamaki said in a statement that he was "extremely disappointed" in the rejection of his argument.
The governor had called the relocating move "illegal", urging the panel to investigate into Land Minister Keiichi Ishii's decision which allowed the government to continue with the landfill work.
The five-member panel works under the internal affairs ministry and is in charge of issuing recommendations when concerns are raised over the state's intervention in local administrations.
A poll conducted by Kyodo News over the weekend revealed that more than 67 percent of Okinawa residents plan to vote against the central government's plan of relocation in the local referendum scheduled on Feb. 24.
According to the opinion poll with 1,047 eligible voters in the prefecture, 67.7 percent said they will vote "no" on the plan while only 15.8 percent said they are in favor of the relocation.
Tamaki said he hopes the result of the referendum will show local people's opposition to the relocation, although the vote is not legally binding.
