Japan Press Weekly

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2021 October 27 - November 2 [POLITICS]

107 local assemblies object to use of sand that includes remains of the war dead for US base project in Okinawa

It was learned on October 27 that 107 local assemblies in 30 prefectures adopted a resolution calling for the cancellation of the plan to use earth and sand that include the remains of Okinawa Battle victims as landfill materials to construct a new U.S. base in the Henoko district in Okinawa's Nago City.

Gushiken Takamatsu, who heads a local volunteer group working to collect the remains of those killed in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa, sent all 1,743 local assemblies in Japan a petition urging the adoption of a resolution opposing the use of the sand that includes the remains of the dead. Gushiken said that 107 prefectural, city, town, and village assemblies in 30 prefectures notified him of their adoption of the resolution. Onomichi and Shobara city assemblies in Hiroshima, where Prime Minister Kishida Fumio was elected from, also adopted a similar resolution.

Former U.S. marine C. Douglas Lummis, who lives in Okinawa and is a member of the Veterans for Peace, said that he had sent an English-version of the Gushiken's petition to the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). Lummis said, "According to the DPAA, as many as 200 U.S. soldiers went missing during the battle in Okinawa. Using the remains-mixed sand for reclaiming land disrespects the war dead. This is not someone else's affair."

A local volunteer said, "Soil and sand from the battle area will be used for a military base which may lead to yet more wars. Both the U.S. and Japanese governments should be aware that they were direct or indirect perpetrators in having driven soldiers and locals to their deaths."

Past related articles:
> VFP in Okinawa opposes use of sand that includes remains of Okinawa Battle victims to build a new US base [July 16, 2021]
> JCP Akamine: Don’t use soil from ‘killing zone’ in Battle of Okinawa to build new US base in Henoko [February 18, 2021]