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

City assembly protests about U.S. forces barring JCP representative from entering military base

The Okinawa City Assembly on January 23 criticized the U.S. forces for refusing to allow a Japanese Communist Party into the U.S. Kadena Air Base as a member of the city assembly delegation planning to visit the base to request a halt to F-15 fighter plane flights.

The unanimous city assembly resolution stated: "Refusing to allow an assembly member to enter the base for a protest action based on a city assembly decision in conformity with constitutional rights amounts to denying the parliamentary system. The refusal shows that U.S. forces are far from being 'good neighbors,' which they talk about from time to time. The residents' distrust in U.S. forces has reached a peak."

The city assembly also demanded that the U.S. forces explain the reason for barring the JCP assembly member from the base.

The Okinawa City Assembly on January 19 planned to visit the U.S. Kadena Air base to request a halt to F-15 flights after a crash on January 17.
- Akahata, January 24, 2006