September 22, 2016
A group of 33 local residents in Okinawa filed a lawsuit with the Naha District Court on September 21 seeking an injunction to suspend the construction work of U.S. military helipads in the mountainous Takae district of Higashi Village.
In February 2015, two completed helipads in Takae with a diameter of 75 meters were turned over to the U.S. military. The Abe government is now pressing ahead with the construction of another four helipads there in defiance of relevant laws, including the prefecture’s environmental ordinance.
The plaintiffs note that the helipads are designed for use by the U.S. Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. They claim that if the number of helipads increases to six, the noise pollution caused by Ospreys will further intensify and local residents’ daily lives will be adversely impacted.
At a news conference following the filing, one of the plaintiffs, Ishihara Rie, pointed to the fact that U.S. Ospreys are flying back and forth day and night along their flight training route in Okinawa. She stressed that an increase in the number of helipads will dramatically increase the noise pollution.
Another complainant, Isa Ikuko, cited many cases in which a sleeping baby is suddenly awoken by the noise of Ospreys taking off and landing at the helipads. Many local babies often have trouble getting to sleep all day, she added.
The defense counsel for the plaintiffs denounced the Abe administration for pushing ahead with the construction work in disregard of local people’s human rights. “The court should issue an injunction as soon as possible to protect Okinawans’ living and personal rights,” they said.
*****
On the same day, a youth group opposing the construction of U.S. helipads in Takae was established. This group, composed of people under 40, is planning to stage protest actions near the construction site and hold street drives across the country as well as provide information about what is going on in Takae through social media.
At a press conference in the Upper House members’ office building in Tokyo, one of the founders, university student Motoyama Jinshiro, said, “Our organization includes many young people who rushed to Takae from around the nation to join local protest actions. We will urgently step up our campaign as the national government is aiming to complete the construction by the end of this year.”
Representatives of three international NGOs attended the press conference. Three opposition lawmakers, including Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Akamine Seiken, delivered speeches in solidarity.
In February 2015, two completed helipads in Takae with a diameter of 75 meters were turned over to the U.S. military. The Abe government is now pressing ahead with the construction of another four helipads there in defiance of relevant laws, including the prefecture’s environmental ordinance.
The plaintiffs note that the helipads are designed for use by the U.S. Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. They claim that if the number of helipads increases to six, the noise pollution caused by Ospreys will further intensify and local residents’ daily lives will be adversely impacted.
At a news conference following the filing, one of the plaintiffs, Ishihara Rie, pointed to the fact that U.S. Ospreys are flying back and forth day and night along their flight training route in Okinawa. She stressed that an increase in the number of helipads will dramatically increase the noise pollution.
Another complainant, Isa Ikuko, cited many cases in which a sleeping baby is suddenly awoken by the noise of Ospreys taking off and landing at the helipads. Many local babies often have trouble getting to sleep all day, she added.
The defense counsel for the plaintiffs denounced the Abe administration for pushing ahead with the construction work in disregard of local people’s human rights. “The court should issue an injunction as soon as possible to protect Okinawans’ living and personal rights,” they said.
*****
On the same day, a youth group opposing the construction of U.S. helipads in Takae was established. This group, composed of people under 40, is planning to stage protest actions near the construction site and hold street drives across the country as well as provide information about what is going on in Takae through social media.
At a press conference in the Upper House members’ office building in Tokyo, one of the founders, university student Motoyama Jinshiro, said, “Our organization includes many young people who rushed to Takae from around the nation to join local protest actions. We will urgently step up our campaign as the national government is aiming to complete the construction by the end of this year.”
Representatives of three international NGOs attended the press conference. Three opposition lawmakers, including Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Akamine Seiken, delivered speeches in solidarity.
