Japan Press Weekly

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2016 November 23 - 29 [POLITICS]

Scientific group urges government to stop environmental destruction in Henoko and Takae

The Japan Association of Environmental Studies, composed of researchers and scholars working on environmental issues, on November 24 petitioned the Environment Ministry to protect Okinawa’s rich natural environment by putting a stop to the building of U.S. military facilities in the Henoko and Takae districts.

In the petition, they also demanded that information regarding environmental destruction linked to the U.S. military presence in Okinawa be released in full by revising the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement.

In response, a ministry official said, “I understand how precious the natural environment in the Takae district is. However, it is the Defense Ministry which is in charge of the U.S. base construction.”