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Mayor and citizens angered at new base plan

Okinawa's local government leaders and peace activists are angered by the Japan-U.S. agreement reached on October 26 to construct a new U.S. air base in Nago City as the site to relocate U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City.

Iha Yoichi, the mayor of Ginowan City hosting the Futenma base, stated:

"The two governments have disregarded Okinawans' call for reductions in military-based burdens that they have been forced to endure for the past sixty years. This agreement was reached without listening to Okinawans and even without any explanation to local residents. Such arrogance will not be tolerated by Okinawans.

Relocating a U.S. base facility within the prefecture under the new plan will take several more years. That means Ginowan citizens will continue to be exposed to the dangers associated with the Futenma base.

Ginowan City will keep on urging the U.S. to immediately stop their flights over the city's residential areas and will increase efforts to get the base closed as soon as possible and returned to the city."

Onishi Teruo, Nago Council against the Construction of U.S. On-Sea Heliport chair, said:

"Under the new plan, the base will be relocated to the land area, making aircraft noise and the danger of crashes more serious.

It will affect not only the Henoko district but whole of the Oura Bay, north of Henoko, where dugong's were spotted recently. The new base plan, like the old on-sea base plan, will destroy the coral reef and the beautiful bay.

In addition, there is a plan to deploy Osprey (tilt --rotor) aircraft to the new base. This suggests the true picture of the new base plan aimed at constructing a state-of-the-art fortress around U.S. Marine Corps Camp Schwab in northern Okinawa. Okinawans are determined to oppose such a plan."

Arakaki Shigenobu, Okinawa Liaison Council for United Action for Abrogation of the Security Treaty co-chief, said:

"We cannot accept the new agreement because it goes against Okinawans' call for reducing and withdrawing U.S. bases in Okinawa.

The new base will serve to establish operational cooperation between the U.S. forces and the Self-Defense Forces. Such a plan that will drag Japan into wars cannot co-exist with Okinawans, who suffer the horrific memory of the Battle of Okinawa and are resolved to work for peace." -- Akahata, October 27, 2005