TOKYO The U.S. military said on Friday it was preparing to hand back to the Japanese government more than a sixth of the land it controls in Okinawa, in a move that could help defuse opposition to the American presence on the island.

The 4,000 hectares (40 square kilometers) of land to be returned is part of a jungle training camp in the north of Okinawa, the military said in a statement.

(Reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)