Nago citizens are angered at Hirano remarks

Japan Press Weekly

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Nago citizens are angered at Hirano remarks

Many Nago residents have been angered at Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirano Hirofumi’s remarks, “No need to take the election result into consideration,” turning his back on the Nago mayoral election result.

At the planned construction site for a new U.S. base in Henoko, Nago residents have been staging a sit-in struggle against the construction plan at a tent community organized by the Nago Council against the Construction of the U.S. On-Sea Heliport. Council Chair Ashitomi Hiroshi said, “It seems that the Hatoyama administration is sensitive to the U.S. government’s moods. If the government continues to ridicule Okinawans, I think the people’s rage will burst with unexpected vigor.”

A female participant of the sit-in action said, “If the incumbent mayor who supported the plan to construct a new U.S. base at Henoko had won the election, the government would have proclaimed, ‘The relocation site for the U.S. Futenma base will be Henoko due to voter approval.’ Having a new mayor opposing the base is the first step in the right direction. I urge the government to not be intimidated by the threats by the U.S.”

A woman from Ginowan City where the Futenma base is located said, “The Democratic Party of Japan in the 2009 general election promised to relocate the Futenma base to outside Okinawa or even outside Japan. If it was just an empty promise, the DPJ-led government will be the same as the past Liberal Democratic and Komei government.”

Ex-chair of the Society for the Protection of Life Nishikawa Ikuo stated, “I wonder if Hirano, in reality, thinks that the government is unable to say ‘No’ to the U.S. This mayoral election result shows a firm refusal of the construction of a new U.S. base. We have argued against the construction plan for 13 years. The election result accurately reflects the Nago people’s opposition. I want the government to respect our demand.”

- Akahata, January 27, 2010