Japan Press Weekly

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2011 December 14 - 20 [US FORCES]

17 leading Okinawans jointly oppose US base at Henoko

Seventeen leading figures in Okinawa Prefecture on December 19 published an appeal against the Defense Ministry’s planned release of an environmental impact assessment (EIA), in preparation for the relocation of the U.S. Futenma base in Ginowan City to the coast of Henoko in Nago City in the prefecture.

In support of a similar statement which the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly unanimously adopted last month, the appeal opposes the relocation and calls on the government to give up submitting the EIA to the prefecture by the end of this year.

The appeal states, “Okinawa makes up just 0.6 percent of Japan’s total land area, but 74 percent of U.S. military bases in Japan are concentrated on the island. This is abnormal to say the least.

“Under this circumstance, Okinawans suffer from crimes, accidents, noise pollution day and night, and environmental destruction caused by the U.S. military. Being forced to face harsh reality, local people wonder if the Japanese Constitution actually applies to Okinawa. The consensus of Okinawans now is the closure and removal of the Futenma base.”

The seventeen figures include two former Okinawa governors, Inamine Keiichi and Ota Masahide, three former deputy governors, and the current presidents of the Okinawa Prefectural Bar Association and Medical Association.