September 21, 2021

The anti-war international NPO “World Beyond War (WBW)”, which is headquartered in the state of Virginia in the United States, is now promoting a campaign aimed at spreading worldwide voices opposing the construction of a new U.S. base in Okinawa’s Henoko, Akahata reported on September 21.

The WBW in August launched the campaign calling on people throughout the world to support a letter from Okinawa Governor Tamaki Denny to U.S. President Biden demanding that the Henoko base construction be stopped. The anti-war NPO claims that the Japanese and U.S. governments must take seriously the situation in which the Okinawa governor has to communicate Okinawans’ opposition to the U.S. president. It also plans to promote a protest action at the White House and at the Japanese Embassy in Washington D.C. In the action, Tamaki’s letter will be read out by participants.

Akahata interviewed with the WBW Japan Chapter head Joseph Essertier about the ongoing campaign.

In the interview, Essertier, who is an associate professor at the Nagoya Institute of Technology, recalled his experience taking part in anti-base activities in Okinawa. He said that he was very impressed that Governor Tamaki fights together with his constituents to put a stop to the U.S. base construction as shown by his act of joining in a sit-in protest at Henoko.

Essertier referred to the 2019 prefectural referendum on the Henoko issue in which 70% of voters opposed the base construction, and said that democracy is alive in Okinawa. Explaining the significance of the WBW’s campaign, he said that expressing solidarity with Okinawans’ anti-base struggle will encourage people around the world who are suffering from damages caused by U.S. bases and from government neglect.