U.S. Forces try to seal off hill overlooking Kadena Air Base

It was recently learned that U.S. forces in Okinawa unofficially asked Kadena Town to seal off a hill commanding a panoramic view of the U.S. Kadena Air Base in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the United States last September. The hill is known as the "hill overlooking Anpo (Japan-U.S. Security Treaty)."

Miyagi Tokujitsu, Kadena Town Mayor, rejected the request, saying, "Many students from outside Okinawa on school trips visit the hill. It is an important place for them to think about the U.S. military base problem." The U.S. Air Force has not tried to contact the mayor on this question since then.

Okinawa Prefectural Peace Committee chair Oshiro Yasuhide said, "The hill, called a 'spy hill' by the U.S. forces, is one of the few places where the Japanese people can see the reality of Anpo. If it is sealed off, all the incidents and accidents by U.S. military planes might vanish into darkness. We must save this place." (end)