January 10&12, 2014
The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly on January 10 at an extraordinary plenary meeting adopted a resolution by majority vote calling for the resignation of Governor Nakaima Hirokazu. This is for the first time in the history of the prefectural administration that the assembly resolved to urge a governor to resign. The resolution is not binding.
While 24 assembly persons, including lawmakers of the Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Local Political Party of Okinawa, approved the resolution, 21, including members of the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties, opposed.
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On the previous day in the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly, a Japanese Communist Party lawmaker demanded that Governor Nakaima Hirokazu, who approved the central government’s application for reclamation of waters off Henoko, resign and seek voters’ verdict on his turnabout.
An extraordinary session of the assembly was convened on that day following the governor’s approval of the Abe government application to reclaim sea areas off the Henoko district in Nago City for the construction of a new U.S. base as an alternative to the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City. From both ruling and opposition parties, seven assemblypersons took to the floor for questioning.
JCP assemblyman Toguchi Osamu used his question time to argue that the new base would become a military facility equipped with further advanced capabilities than the Futenma base.
Toguchi pointed out that the new base will probably build a wharf for the USS Bonhomme Richard amphibious assault ship which is now based at the U.S. Sasebo Naval Base in Nagasaki and able to carry Ospreys.
A prefectural government official for the first time admitted to that possibility.
Meanwhile, Nakaima in his explanation about the approval decision said, “Even if the Nago mayor opposes, I have no choice but to approve the national government’s construction plans.”
While 24 assembly persons, including lawmakers of the Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Local Political Party of Okinawa, approved the resolution, 21, including members of the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties, opposed.
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On the previous day in the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly, a Japanese Communist Party lawmaker demanded that Governor Nakaima Hirokazu, who approved the central government’s application for reclamation of waters off Henoko, resign and seek voters’ verdict on his turnabout.
An extraordinary session of the assembly was convened on that day following the governor’s approval of the Abe government application to reclaim sea areas off the Henoko district in Nago City for the construction of a new U.S. base as an alternative to the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Ginowan City. From both ruling and opposition parties, seven assemblypersons took to the floor for questioning.
JCP assemblyman Toguchi Osamu used his question time to argue that the new base would become a military facility equipped with further advanced capabilities than the Futenma base.
Toguchi pointed out that the new base will probably build a wharf for the USS Bonhomme Richard amphibious assault ship which is now based at the U.S. Sasebo Naval Base in Nagasaki and able to carry Ospreys.
A prefectural government official for the first time admitted to that possibility.
Meanwhile, Nakaima in his explanation about the approval decision said, “Even if the Nago mayor opposes, I have no choice but to approve the national government’s construction plans.”
