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2016 October 26 - November 1 [POLITICS]

Okinawa Prefectural Assembly adopts resolution to oppose riot policemen’s racist slurs against local residents

The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly on October 28 adopted a resolution and a written opinion which denounce riot police officers for making racist slurs against local anti-base protesters. All parties except the Liberal Democratic Party supported the resolution and written opinion.

The officers are a part of the contingent of police who were dispatched from outside Okinawa to crack down on residents opposing the U.S. military helipad construction in the Takae district of Higashi Village.

The two documents, which were jointly proposed by the Japanese Communist Party and four other parties, point out that many people inside and outside Okinawa are protesting against an incident where Osaka riot policemen called Okinawans “Dojin” and “Shinajin”, (discriminatory words referring to native peoples and Chinese respectively). The adopted documents stress that law enforcement officers should take the growing public distrust in the police seriously and state that such an incident must not recur.

On the other hand, the LDP-submitted written opinion which justifies the riot police officers’ remarks was rejected.

JCP member of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly Higa Mizuki criticized the LDP’s document for being hostile to anti-base movements and defending the riot police officers who made the racist remarks.

Past related articles:
> Racist words of Osaka riot police against Okinawans come under fire [October 21, 2016]
> Okinawa governor criticizes excessive policing in Takae [August 26 & 27, 2016]