Thousands of people Sunday formed a human chain surrounding a US Marines air base on Okinawa in a protest to demand the closure of the unpopular military facility on the southern Japanese island.
Organisers said 17,000 people turned out in pouring rain to form the 13-kilometre (eight-mile) chain as emotions ran high against the heavy US military presence on the island.
Anti-base sentiment intensified after Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama backtracked on a key election pledge last year to scrap a pact with Washington and promised to move the US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma off Okinawa.
Organisers said 17,000 people turned out in pouring rain to form the 13-kilometre (eight-mile) chain as emotions ran high against the heavy US military presence on the island.
Anti-base sentiment intensified after Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama backtracked on a key election pledge last year to scrap a pact with Washington and promised to move the US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma off Okinawa.