 30,000 Okinawans attend a rally chanting 'Return U.S. Futenma base!' Ginowan City September 12 held a rally to protest the August 13 crash of a U.S. Marines helicopter on the campus of Okinawa International University (OIU), demanding the closure of the U.S. Marine Corps base. About 30,000 people assembled on the university grounds at the call of Ginowan Mayor Iha Yoichi. The number of participants was much greater than expected. Participants adopted a resolution stating, "More than 88,000 Ginowan citizens who wish to protect their lives protest the recent crash and the way the accident was dealt with." It demanded that six urgent steps be taken, including an early return of the Futenma base, a review of the plan to relocate the base to the Henoko district of Nago City, and a drastic review of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Iha in his speech said, "The accident has revealed the U.S. Futenma base is life threatening, and the plan to relocate it to Henoko won't get rid of this danger." He also expressed hope that the government will "start negotiating with the U.S. toward an immediate suspension of the base's flight functions, its ultimate closure, and early return of the land to Japan." Iha called on Okinawa Governor Inamine Keiichi, who is clinging to the relocation plan to Henoko, to gather courage to squarely face the dangers of the base. OIU President Toguchi Tomoaki stated, "The crash threatened the lives of everyone in the university as well as nearby residents, and the SOFA infringed on the university's autonomy." He also stressed, "Noise pollution caused by U.S. military flights and various accidents are already unbearable." The rally was attended by Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi. (end) |