Japan Press Weekly

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2015 March 18 - 24 [POLITICS]

3,900 people rally to protect Okinawa’s beautiful sea from US base construction plan

Around 3,900 people on March 21 gathered at a beach located on the opposite side of the planned construction site for a new U.S. base in Nago’s Henoko district in Okinawa to hold a protest rally against the construction plan.

The rally was jointly organized by anti-base prefectural assembly members and five parliamentarians elected from Okinawa, including Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Akamine Seiken.

Deputy Governor Ageda Mitsuo said that Governor Onaga Takeshi is doing his utmost to put a halt to the Henoko base plan. Ageda indicated that Onaga will retract his predecessor’s approval of the construction work by saying, “The governor will soon make a momentous decision.” His remark drew enthusiastic applause from the audience.

A 20-year-old woman, who was born in Ginowan City and currently goes to a university in Tokyo, took part in the rally with her parents. Watching the construction site for the first time, she said, “What does the government want to do at the cost of demanding such a beautiful sea area?”

A man in his 70s, who lives in Nago City, pointed out that Okinawans’ human rights are ignored as shown in the fact that U.S. military aircraft are flying over local residents’ houses but not over the houses of U.S. military personnel. His wife criticized Prime Minister Abe Shinzo for trying to build another U.S base in Okinawa and adding to injury to Okinawans.