Dugong's feeding stations will be dug out

In Okinawa, the habitat of Dugongs, an endangered mammal, is being threatened by the planned undersea drilling survey that Japan's defense authority is planning to conduct in preparation for the construction of a U.S. military base.

The Japanese and U.S. governments are promoting the construction of the huge base in waters off the Henoko district of Nago City in Okinawa.

At an Upper House Committee on Environment meeting on April 15, Japanese Communist Party Iwasa Emi demanded that the government not allow the drilling survey to be conducted.

The Defense Facilities Administration Agency (DFAA) plans to begin digging the seabed at 63 locations within the area of the planned U.S. base.

Iwasa said that experts are warning that 20 out of these drilling points are dugongs' feeding stations and that devastating these stations would further threaten dugongs' survival.

The environment minister promised to discuss with the DFAA the surveys from the viewpoint of environmental preservation. (end)