Japan Press Weekly

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2015 February 18 - 24 [POLITICS]

Okinawa’s village assembly calls for banning use of US helipads

The Higashi Village Assembly in Okinawa unanimously adopted a resolution on February 23 calling for a ban on the use of the U.S. military helipads in the village.

In response to the U.S. request, the Japanese government has been moving ahead with a plan to construct six landing strips at the village’s Takae district. The Abe administration recently decided to hand over the two strips completed last year to the U.S. military.

Pointing to the fact that the U.S. Forces have repeated landing practices using the helipads even before they obtained permission from the Japanese side, the statement denounces the U.S. conduct as arrogantly defying the demands of the villagers and Okinawan people.

Later in the day, representatives of the municipal assembly visited the Okinawa Defense Bureau to submit the document. In the representations, Japanese Communist Party assemblyperson Isa Masatsugu said, “Even though the central government has said that it will make efforts to obtain local understanding over the construction, the overwhelming majority of local residents are opposing the project. The state should prohibit the use of the helipads and abandon the construction plan.”

Past related article:
> Okinawans rally in protest against US helipads construction [January 20, 2015]