Japan Press Weekly

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2024 July 3 - 9 [POLITICS]

1,200 Okinawans hold protest marking 10th year from start of anti-Henoko base sit-in

About 1,200 Okinawans staged a protest in front of the gate of U.S. Camp Schwab on July 6, the tenth anniversary of the sit-in against the construction of a new U.S. base at Henoko in Nago City.

Under the strong sunlight, they shouted in chorus, “Stop the base construction!” and protested against a string of sex crimes committed against local women and girls by U.S. soldiers.

Okinawa Governor Tamaki Denny sent them a message in solidarity. Okinawan opposition Dietmembers, including Akamine Seiken of the Japanese Communist Party, took part in this action.

Motonaga Takako, 57, from Naha City said she grew up hearing her parents talk about the frequent crimes committed by U.S. soldiers before Okinawa’s reversion to Japan and how the situation remained the same even after the reversion. She said, “I want to pass on to my children an Okinawa where no one will become a victim due to the U.S. military presence in Okinawa.”

Noting that the construction and security costs continue to grow, Tamaki Chiharu, 43, from Naha City said, “If the new base construction is cancelled, money can be spent to support Okinawans’ businesses and livelihoods. I don’t agree with the way the taxpayers’ money is being used.”

A Korean woman in her 20s, who is staying in Okinawa on a working holiday visa, said she feels that “the history of Okinawa is similar to that of Jeju Island” where a U.S. military base was established without regard to the opposing opinions of local residents. She pointed out that the U.S., China, South Korea, and Japan are strengthening multinational military drills and upgrading base functions in East Asia based on the assumption that one day in the near future there will be a war. She said, “I don’t want that to happen.”