Thousands protest US base in Japan's Okinawa

Thousands of protesters have held a massive rally in Okinawa in southern Japan in protest against the presence of a controversial US airbase on the island.

Organizers estimated that about 35,000 people took to the streets in Okinawa's capital, Naha, on Sunday.

The protesters also gathered at a baseball stadium in the region to oppose the presence of US Futenma airbase.

The angry demonstrators also chanted slogans against the establishment of a controversial US marine airbase in the southern Japanese island.

The massive demonstrations on Sunday aimed to pressure Japanese government to halt building work for the military base. The protesters also strongly criticized the Tokyo government that is apparently ignoring local residents.

"The government says we are to blame that the issue has stalled for 19 years and they tell us to find an alternative place (for the base relocation). That's outrageous," the anti-US base mayor of Nago, Susumu Inamine, told a packed 15,000-seat baseball stadium.

"The government is thrusting their responsibility on us," Inamine said at the protest rally.