JCP Ichida says: Nago mayoral election result offers hope for a peaceful Okinawa

Japan Press Weekly

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

JCP Ichida says: Nago mayoral election result offers hope for a peaceful Okinawa

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on January 24 issued a statement on the victory of Inamine Susumu in the Nago City mayoral election in Okinawa. He said:

Inamine Susumu won the mayoral election in Nago City, calling for “No! to a new U.S. military base in the beautiful sea off Henoko and Oura Bay”. This provides a resolute judgment by Nago residents against the Japanese and U.S. governments working togther to try to construct a new base.

Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio postponed a final decision on the issue until May while stating that he would “respect Okinawans’ will.” Now is the time for the prime minister to free Japan from the U.S. agreement made by the Liberal-Democratic and Komei Parties’ administration. The problem of the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station cannot be solved by relocating it to other places in Okinawa or mainland Japan. There is no solution but an “immediate closure of the base and unconditional return of the site to Japan.”

In the mayoral election, cooperation with conservative and non-partisan people has been increased by opposing a new base and aiming at regional development with no dependency on the base. This is the current toward establishing a peaceful and prosperous Okinawa without military bases. The Japanese Communist Party will continue struggling for Okinawa and the mainland of Japan to be free of U.S. military bases by strengthening the solidarity with a broad range of people.

- Akahata, January 25, 2010