Original sentence: Construction has yet to begin, and at present it is the subject of an international Greenpeace campaign.In 1997, it was decided that the base should be relocated to a more expensive but much quieter off-shore location at Henoko.This was, and remains, an extremely controversial decision, since the base is to be constructed on a living coral reef, and in a 1997 referendum, a majority of local people voted against it.[Greenpeace campaign to stop construction at Henoko]
Edited sentence: As a result of a 1997 referendum, the United States agreed to relocate the base to a more expensive but much quieter off-shore location at Henoko.The American military presence functions as a vital source of income for Okinawa, the poorest prefecture in Japan, whilst the Air Station serves as a vibrant focal point for close friendships and relationships between US servicemen and local Okinawans