 U.S. forces again breaks promise of no-use of civil airport in Okinawa Ignoring islanders' protests, the U.S. military aircraft on December 8 landed at the civil airport on Shimoji-shima Island in southern Okinawa. This is the fourth such landing this year Three transport helicopters and one KC130 mid-air refueler from the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa landed at the airport on their way to the Philippines, allegedly for refueling exercises. The Okinawa Prefectural Government lodged a protest by telephone to the U.S. Marine Corps base, demanding that they never again use the civil airport. In an emergency rally near the airport, about 60 islanders shouted, "We will never allow Shimoji-shima Island to be used for military purposes." Uesato Tatsuru, a Taira City assembly member (JCP) at the rally said, "The U.S. Marines are challenging to the islanders' firm opposition to a military use of the airport which was expressed in the November 28 rally. The U.S. has no shame if they are establishing a faits accomplis." In advance of the return to Japan of the administrative rights over Okinawa in 1972, the Japanese government agreed with the then Ryukyu government that Shimoji-shima airport will not be used for military purpose. Recently however, an attempt to allow the U.S. forces and the SDF to use the airport has been surfacing. (end) |