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

Citizens' groups and JCP demand Nago mayor be consistent in opposing 'shoreline plan'

Citizens organizations and the Japanese Communist Party on March 27 visited the Nago City Office and requested that the mayor stand firm against the plan to construct a new U.S. air base on the shoreline of U.S. Marine Corps Camp Schwab.

In the mayoral election in January, Mayor Shimabukuro Yoshikazu promised his opposition to the "shoreline plan" put forward by the government.

As tension grew over the negotiations between the central government and the city, the petitioners demanded that the mayor be true to his election promise, stressing that opposition to the "shoreline plan" represents Nago citizens' and Okinawa prefectural people's opinion.

On the government proposal for a minor adjustment to shifting the new base site a little farther from the shore and changing the runway's angle, citizens organizations pointed out that the concept is no other than the "shoreline plan." They said that the mayor's negotiations with the government is in violation of his public promise. They said the mayor must explain the city's policy to the citizens instead of discussing privately with the government.

In the talks held on March 27 between Nago City and 13 coastal ward heads, the city stated that it rejected the Defense Agency's proposal to alter the angle of the runway by 10 degrees.

Mayor Shimabukuro, commenting on the Defense Agency proposal said, "Minor changes are unacceptable." He said that flight routes must be altered to clear away the land.
- Akahata, March 28, 2006