opposition

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Hiroshima's local governments and citizens join hands to stand against strengthening of U.S. Iwakuni base

Representatives of seven municipalities and citizens' groups in Hiroshima Prefecture held a meeting on November 1 to join forces in opposition to a plan to relocate a carrier-based aircraft unit from the U.S. Atsugi Naval Air Station near Tokyo to the U.S. Marine Corps Iwakuni Air Station in Yamaguchi Prefecture, located to the west of Hiroshima.

The meeting at the Hatsukaichi City building was organized by the association of heads and local assembly chairs of five municipalities in western Hiroshima opposing the relocation of "night landing practice" (touch-and-go exercises) from Atsugi to Iwakuni.

Hatsukaichi City Mayor Yamashita Saburo stated, "We want to develop a cross-border cooperation with residents of Yamaguchi and Hiroshima prefectures and send a strong message to the national government."

Iwakuni Mayor Ihara Katsusuke, who attended the meeting as an observer, criticized the government for failing to listen to local voices and expressed determination to develop local movements to get the Japanese and U.S. governments to cancel the relocation plan. -- Akahata, November 2, 2005