TOKYO, Nov. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Thousands of people on Sunday demonstrated in Zama and Sagamihara, joint hosts of a US military base in east Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture, to protest against the planned expansion of the base functions, Kyodo News reported.

    More than 3,000 people surrounded Camp Zama, headquarters of the US Army Japan, forming a "human chain" to protest against the expansion move, part of the realignment of US forces in Japan, according to Kyodo.

    In Sagamihara, about 1,700 people gathered Sunday morning to protest against the plan. At Camp Zama, the demonstrators held hands to make a 2.1-kilometer circle three times Sunday afternoon.

    Under the planned realignment of the US military presence in Japan, the US Army 1st Corps headquarters will move from Washington State to Camp Zama and a Ground Self-Defense Force headquarters will be newly established in the camp.

    Japan and the United States on Oct. 29 adopted a report on the plan to realign the US forces in Japan, which involves US military bases in Kanagawa, Okinawa and other prefectures. Concerned localities have voiced opposition to the plan, which they said would impose more burdens on them. Enditem