Camp Lester (Camp Kuwae)
Okinawa, Japan
Camp Lester (Camp Kuwae) is located on the flat coastline area facing the East China Sea in Chatan town. Other than having an important military hospital, there is also a school, soccer field and various living quarters. Also within the facility, the town office is being built under the agreement of Article 2 paragraph 4(a) of SOFA, which allows joint use of the area.
The United States and Japan released the Final Report of the Special Action Committee on Okinawa on December 2, 1996. The report made 27 recommendations to reduce the impact of the US military presence on the Okinawan people. This included the return of most of Camp Kuwae (approx 99 ha/245 acres) with the intention to finish the process by the end of March 2008 after the Naval Hospital is relocated to Camp Zukeran and remaining facilities there are relocated to Camp Zukeran or other facilities and areas in Okinawa. The recommendations included the consolidation of US housing areas in Camp Kuwae and Camp Zukeran and return portions of land in housing areas there with the intention to finish the process by the end of March 2008 (approx. 83 ha/206 acres at Camp Zukeran; in addition, approx. 35 ha/85 acres at Camp Kuwae will be returned through housing consolidation.
