PM announces keeping Futenma in Okinawa

Japan Press Weekly

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PM announces keeping Futenma in Okinawa

Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio officially announced Okinawa’s Henoko district as a site to shift the U.S. Futenma base to at a meeting with Okinawa Governor Nakaima Hirokazu on May 23.

While pledging to move the Futenma base out of Okinawa in the House of Representatives election last summer, Hatoyama ended up returning to the decision made by the former government led by the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties. His announcement provoked fierce protests both inside and outside Okinawa.

In front of the prefectural building where the meeting took place, about 1,000 residents raised their voices against the decision. A sit-in was held in front of the assembly building by 36 out of 48 assembly members representing all parties in the local assembly.

In Iwakuni City of Yamaguchi Prefecture, about 4,000 people took part in a rally against the planned relocation of the U.S. carrier-borne airwing from Atsugi in Kanagawa Prefecture to the U.S. Iwakuni Base. They adopted a resolution expressing their determination to develop solidarity with Okinawans and citizens in other parts of Japan.

Japanese Communist Party House of Councilors member Nihi Sohei said, “The prime minister must clearly convey to the U.S. government Okinawans’ rejection to the new base construction within the prefecture, instead of forcing them to endure further base burdens.”

In Hokkaido, residents in Bekkai Town held a rally against a live fire drill scheduled to take place beginning on May 26 at the Self-Defense Forces Yausubetsu training field involving the U.S. Marines from Okinawa.

About 400 people took part in the action, wearing yellow armbands to show their solidarity with Okinawans.

- Akahata, May 24, 2010