Japan Press Weekly

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2024 September 4 - 10 [SDF]

Hokkaido citizens protest against planned live-fire drills by US Marines

Holding a banner that reads, “U.S. Marines go home!”, a group of residents in Hokkaido’s Bekkai Town, including Japanese Communist Party assemblyperson Nakamura Tadashi, have been staging a street campaign against the U.S. Marine Corps’ live-fire drill exercises (slated to begin on September 12).

Pushed by efforts made by concerned citizens and the JCP, the Hokkaido prefectural government and the Bekkai Town government recently submitted to the Defense Ministry’s Hokkaido Defense Bureau their written requests demanding that residents’ safety be protected thoroughly and information regarding the planned live-fire drills be provided to residents. Other demands put forward by the prefectural and town governments include the prevention of night-time drills and measures to require U.S. Marines to maintain strict military discipline.

The JCP Hokkaido Prefectural Committee on August 21 made representations to the local defense bureau demanding the cancellation of the planned drills, saying that it is unacceptable to use the reduction in Okinawa’s base burdens as a pretext for allowing the USMC to hold live shell drills in Hokkaido.