livefire_drill3

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

An Okinawan town mayor is disguised by government reluctance to take issue with U.S.

Mayor Gibu Tsuyoshi of Kin Town in Okinawa Prefecture on July 21 visited Foreign Minister Machimura Nobutaka in Tokyo to demand that U.S. live-fire drills in the urban warfare training complex of U.S. Camp Hansen be halted.

Machimura replied, "Japan is not willing to request the U.S. forces for a halt."

Prior to this, Gibu made similar representations to the Defense Agency, but the town's request was also rejected on the grounds that Japan has to allow U.S. military exercises under the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).

After the petitions, Gibu told reporters that he feels sad about Japan being incapable of saying anything to the United States.

Gibu also visited the Prime Minister's Official Residence with Hokama Seizen, Okinawa Prefectural Assembly chair, to submit a resolution adopted in a huge rally with 10,000 participants on July 19, calling for an immediate closure of the U.S. Marine Corps anti-urban guerrilla training facility recently constructed at Range 4 of U.S. Camp Hansen in Kin Town.

Asked by reporters about these petitions, Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro just said, "I try to take care of local concerns." -- Akahata, July 22, 2005