Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, on Wednesday dismissed Japanese hopes for a rethink of a controversial military base relocation deal, calling for ”expeditious” action to implement the plan in full.

Differences over the relocation of the Futenma US marine base on Japan’s southern Okinawa island – part of a wider realignment of US forces – have emerged as the most pressing potential stumbling block in ties between Washington and Tokyo following the Democratic Party of Japan’s general election victory in August.