The Japan Times reports Tokyo and Washington said Wednesday they have agreed to revise a 2006 bilateral accord aimed at transferring U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam.  Previously, the transfer was effectively contingent upon construction of a replacement airfield by 2014.  No longer.  

The two sides say they are negotiating on moving some of the marines to Guam before the planned relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within Okinawa.  This relocation met with furious local opposition, which has stopped progress on the relocation base. 

Japan and the United States are now apparently discussing the possibility of separating the base's relocation and the return of some military facilities and land occupied by the American military in Okinawa.

The Pentagon is claimed to be considering moving about 4,700 marines and their families from Okinawa to Guam, while deploying 3,300 on a rotational basis to various locations in the Pacific, including Hawaii, Australia and the Philippines, according to sources.

An influx of 3,300 marines with their families may represent a welcome influx of necessary housing and infrastructure construction.