U.S. aircraft will use new base to freely fly over residential area: local residents

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U.S. aircraft will use new base to freely fly over residential area: local residents

The recent revelation that U.S. aircraft will freely fly over residential areas in and around Nago City, thereby reneging on government assurances, is fanning Okinawans' resentment against the plan to construct the base.

In April, the Nago City government agreed with the central government on the plan to construct in the city a new U.S. base with two runways set out in a V-shape on the condition that U.S. aircraft will not fly over the city's residential area.

However, in October, the U.S. government demanded that the two runways be equipped with approach lights at both ends so that U.S. aircraft can take off and land from any direction. As a result of this development, the central government now explains that in the event of an emergency, U.S. aircraft may fly over the residential zone.

Miyagi Minoru, head of Nago City's Toyohara Ward, who had previously accepted the plan, voiced anger, saying, "Because they promised us that U.S. aircraft will not fly over the residential area, I reluctantly chose to accept the plan. Emergency means an aircraft is in danger of crashing. If such an aircraft flies over the residential area, it will obviously pose a far greater danger than usual."

Nago City Mayor Shimabukuro Yoshikazu who agreed to the plan is pretending as if he was deceived by the central government, saying, "I didn't know that." However, he has not shown any remorse over the agreement he signed.

An 80-year-old woman who has worked hard in an anti-base campaign for 11 years since the plan to construct a new U.S. base first came up said, "In order to carry out the construction plan, the U.S. forces and the Japanese government say they impose conditions like the one that restricts flights over residential areas. But once the base construction is completed, U.S. aircraft will fly anywhere they want. We must not allow the construction of the new base."

This issue will have an influence on voters in the Okinawa gubernatorial election on November 19 to choose between anti-base candidate Itokazu Keiko, supported by five opposition parties including the Japanese Communist Party, and a pro-base candidate supported by the Liberal Democratic and the Komei parties.

Save the Dugong Foundation Secretary General Higashionna Takuma who supports Itokazu said, "If a prefectural government that accepts the new U.S. base is elected, more schemes to strengthen base functions will be imposed under various pretexts. Only a prefectural government that opposes the construction of the base can protect livable conditions and peace for Okinawans."
- Akahata, November 12, 2006