JCP Shii calls for Itokazu's victory in gubernatorial election to open the way for an Okinawa without U.S. bases

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JCP Shii calls for Itokazu's victory in gubernatorial election to open the way for an Okinawa without U.S. bases

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo visited Naha City on November 6 to call on Okinawans to support Itokazu Keiko, an Okinawa gubernatorial election candidate jointly supported by the five opposition parties. In a campaign rally that 1,500 people took part in, Shii made the following speech:

A wonderful candidate representing the 'heart of Okinawa'

I was deeply impressed by what Ms. Itokazu said in a debate held before this election was proclaimed.

Ms. Itokazu said, "Through my experiences regarding the Battle of Okinawa (in WWII), I learned that the military never defends the residents. This is why I oppose everything that will lead us to war."

During the Okinawa Battle, Ms. Itokazu's sister and brother starved to death while her mother took them wandering around the northern area of the island to escape from the fighting. I have heard that this experience serves as the starting point of Ms. Itokazu as a politician.

Whenever I visit Okinawa, I am always impressed by the "heart of Okinawa," the burning desire for peace that you have fostered through the heavy loss of civilian lives in the Okinawa Battle and the long-shouldered postwar base burden as well.

Ms. Itokazu Keiko is a politician who declares that she rejects everything that will lead to war. I am sure that she is the very person representing the "heart of Okinawa," the right candidate to be the next governor.

New base construction affecting even Okinawa's next century

The major point at issue in this gubernatorial election is whether or not the Okinawans will allow the plan to construct a new U.S. military base in Okinawa. Today's newspapers reported that U.S. aircraft will land and take off from both sides of the V-shaped runways planned to be constructed in Nago City. Aircraft landing on both ends of the two V-shaped runways will multiply by four times the danger of accidents.

The construction of this new base is part of the U.S. super-long term strategy to use Okinawa for 50 to 100 years as a stronghold in wars of aggression that the U.S. will wage anywhere in the world. This fact is well illustrated in a recent TV Asahi report revealing that the U.S. forces first drew up this new base plan during the Vietnam War.

Therefore, the outcome of this election will affect not only Okinawan prefectural government policy for the next four years but also Okinawa's future over the next 50 to 100 years. Whether we can achieve an Okinawa without U.S. military bases in the 21st century hinges on the judgment of its citizens in this election.

The result of this election will also affect the future of Japan. The realignment plan for U.S. forces in Japan is now facing strong opposition in Zama, Yokosuka, Iwakuni, and many parts of the country. A former chairman of the Self-Defense Forces Joint Staff Council said that the realignment plan is provided as a package, and that a partial failure may frustrate the whole plan. Blocking the construction of a new air base in Okinawa will stop the implementation of the plans to strengthen U.S. base functions all over the country. I want to assure you that all Japanese opposed to war unanimously support Ms. Itokazu's campaign.

Okinawa cannot be entrusted to opponent promoting new base plan

What the opponent backed by the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties intends to do has already become clear. During the run-up to the official start of the election campaign, he said, "Moving a base to outside Okinawa is the best option, but if such a relocation is not immediately possible, relocating it within Okinawa is unavoidable."

This candidate is a strong advocate of the continued existence of U.S. bases. In November last year, when the incumbent governor, pressed by the Okinawans' strong opposition, expressed his opposition to the plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma air station to the shoreline area of Henoko in Nago City, this candidate advised the governor to avoid confronting the national government. Last May, when the Okinawa governor concluded a basic agreement with the government on the new base construction betraying the residents, this candidate praised the governor saying, "With this agreement, I hope the relocation issue will be solved smoothly, and appreciate it."

We can never allow a person who has promoted the new base construction by simply following the central government policy to run the Okinawa government.

By rallying the "heart of Okinawa" that desires peace and an Okinawa without bases, let us achieve Itokazu's victory and show the Okinawans' willingness to reject the new base and the U.S. forces realignment.

3 keys to improve Okinawans' living conditions

The economy and living conditions are also major issues. In eight years of LDP-Komei prefectural government, the unemployment rate in Okinawa has risen to 7.9 percent and the yearly income of residents per capita has decreased by 140,000 yen. Unable to afford to pay the high national health insurance premiums, many residents have had their insurance cards invalidated and cannot go to see a doctor. Nursing-care insurance premiums and the charge for using care facilities are too high for many residents to receive adequate services. Due to increases in burdens to receive services, disabled people are forced to give up going to welfare workshops. Our daily lives are screaming in pain.

I think there are three keys that will bring about better living conditions for Okinawans, and Ms. Itokazu is surely addressing all of them.

The first key is Okinawa's rich local potential that cannot benefit by inviting large corporations from the mainland. In order to rebuild the local economy from its foundation, it is necessary to give support to local industries persistently making efforts in such areas as tourism, indigenous industry, agriculture, fishery, and small businesses. To this end, letÅ@us entrust Ms. Itokazu who has experience in tourism.

Secondly, Okinawa is a prefecture with the highest birthrate and the highest longevity rate in Japan. Okinawa will have a bright future by changing the prefectural government into one that gives top priority to welfare to ensure mothers a worry-free child-rearing environment and to reward senior residents who have long experienced hardships.

Ms. Itokazu calls for resumption of an obstetrics and gynecology department in the prefecture-run Hokubu Hospital, free medial treatment for infants, and reinstating subsidies for the hospital meals of severely-disabled patients. All these policies meet residents' demands.

Building an Okinawa without military bases is the third key for Okinawa's economic prosperity. Naha City's new urban center shows how wonderful the future can be, if we remove the base burden.

Ishigaki City, in which no military bases are located, is drawing attention from throughout Japan because by making use of tourism and its primary industry taking advantage of its natural environment, the city's economy has grown 2.4 times larger than when Okinawa was returned to Japan. With Ms. Itokazu, while pursuing a base-free Okinawa, let us work together to build an Okinawa with economic prosperity and better living conditions.

With Governor Itokazu, let's develop united struggle for a base-free Okinawa

The LDP secretary general said, "Realistically speaking, demanding an immediate removal of military bases will lead to a perpetuation of them."

I think it is the other way around. I want to emphasize that demanding a removal of bases instead of relocating them somewhere is the most realistic way to build a base-free Okinawa.

Okinawans with a unanimous opinion and united in solidarity will exert a tremendous energy. In 1995, in the wake of the serious crime in which a schoolgirl was raped by three U.S. servicemen, Okinawans rose up in protest. For ten years, this struggle has actually prevented the government from putting up even a single post for base construction.

Okinawa's reversion to Japan in 1972 was indeed made possible by Okinawans' indomitable united struggle that had overcome what was considered legally impossible. If all Okinawans band together, you will break down any barriers.

By achieving Ms. Itokazu's victory with the support of the five opposition parties and by the developing united struggles with Governor Itokazu, Okinawa will certainly be able to usher in a brilliant future without military bases.

The JCP will make all-out efforts to achieve the victory of Ms. Itokazu Keiko in this election.
- Akahata, Novemer 7, 2006