The central government will press ahead with construction of the Futenma replacement base even if Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga revokes existing permission for landfill work at the site, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Tuesday.

“Japan is governed by law. . . . There will be no change in our stance of continuing the relocation work” Suga told a news conference.

His comments are likely to put Tokyo and Okinawa on a collision course over the proposal to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to a site off Nago in northern Okinawa Prefecture, which Onaga opposes, and could lead to a battle in court.

“After all, judicial contests should follow,” a high-ranking government official said later in the day, adding that construction work would continue even if the case makes it to court.

During an interview with Kyodo News on Monday, Onaga said he will revoke the landfill approval given by his predecessor, Hirokazu Nakaima, if that is the recommendation of an advisory panel of experts looking into the matter. The panel is expected to submit its report in early July.

Onaga also said legal authority rests with him to block construction, saying it is “impossible” for the central government to continue the work if he opposed it. He said there are 10 legal avenues open to him to do this.

Tokyo and Washington have agreed to relocate the contentious base from Ginowan, central Okinawa, to the Henoko district of Nago. Its current location, in a densely populated district, has long drawn complaints over noise and the danger of aviation accidents.

The governor and most Okinawans oppose the plan, saying building the Henoko facility will only strengthen the U.S. military’s presence in the prefecture.

Anti-military sentiment is strong in Okinawa because of the heavy U.S. presence and because of lingering memories of the fierce fighting there during World War II.

Kyodo quoted Onaga as predicting damage to the Japan-U.S. alliance if the central government resorts to forcibly removing protesters. He described a scenario in which the government drives away residents to safeguard the landfill process, saying “if the images are aired worldwide, the Japan-U.S. alliance will be spoiled.”

Some local opinion leaders in Okinawa meanwhile have warned that any injuries to protesters in clashes with Japanese or U.S. authorities could seriously shake the alliance.

“If (the central government) uses force, it could even trigger a riot,” said Chokei Taira, the chairman and CEO of the Okinawa-based Kariyushi hotel group, during a recent interview with The Japan Times in Naha. Taira is a key supporter of Onaga from the private sector.

“Many (protesters) are ready to sacrifice their lives. This is no laughing matter,” Taira warned.

An informed source in Okinawa meanwhile said some members of the prefectural assembly plan to submit an ordinance next month designed to obstruct the relocation work in Henoko.

If enacted, it would likely further complicate the process for the central government to continue the project.