A coalition of conservation groups from both sides of the Pacific Rim filed a lawsuit in US District Court against the US Department of Defense over plans to construct a new heliport facility on a coral reef on the east coast of Okinawa, Japan. Conservationists are concerned that the proposed 1.5 mile long airbase to be built on reclaimed land over a coral reef will destroy the remaining habitat of the endangered Okinawa dugong, a relative of the manatee, and a cultural icon of the Okinawan people.
