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

U.S. military police spy on anti-base rally participants in Okinawa

On January 3 in Ginowan City, Okinawa, when Ginowan residents assembled in cars in a square to start a demonstration calling for the U.S. Marines Futenma Air Station to be completely withdrawn from Ginowan, U.S. military police photographed participants and their cars.

The organizers demanded that U.S. military police stop such actions, but the U.S. forces continued photographing with digital cameras, thus disrupting the rally.

The Ginowan Citizens' Square is located within Futenma Air Station, but it is used by citizens as a parking lot and a baseball ground. The organizer used the site every year for starting the car demonstration, but this is the first time that the demonstration was obstructed.

Okubo Yasuhiro, Okinawa prefectural Peace Committee secretary who witnessed the obstruction, said, "I saw a U.S. soldier with his hand on a tear gas sprayer used for subduing riots. This shows that U.S. forces do not regard Okinawans as their equals."

Miyagi Masao, representative of the Ginowan Citizens' Council that organized the rally, said, "The U.S. forces outrage has been unmasked. In a way this shows how they fear the public opinion of Okinawans opposing U.S. military realignment and strengthening of bases."
- Akahata, January 4, 2006