Japan Press Weekly

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2012 June 20 - 26 [OKINAWA]

Okinawans resolve to stop Osprey deployment: 67th anniversary of Battle of Okinawa

On June 23, the 67th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa, about 5,500 participants at the memorial ceremony commemorating the battle dead stiffened their resolve to stop the deployment of the MV-22 Osprey aircraft to the prefecture. The ceremony was held at the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Park located in the Mabuni hills of Itoman City.

The Japanese and U.S. governments are trying to force the deployment of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft MV-22 Ospreys to the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa. Amid mounting anger among Okinawans, the prefectural assembly along with all 41 municipal assemblies in Okinawa adopted resolutions opposing the deployment.

The chairperson of the prefectural assembly said in his ceremonial address, “It is absolutely unforgivable for the two governments to deploy the aircraft to the U.S. Futenma base which is seen as the most dangerous base in the world in regard to citizen safety against the Okinawans’ wishes.”

The chair of the Okinawa federation of the war-bereaved associations said, “We, the families of those who were killed in the battle, will never accept the relocation of the Futenma Air Station to the Henoko district in Nago City and the deployment of the Ospreys to Okinawa.”

Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko did not refer to the deployment, just saying, “We will work to alleviate the burden of the bases.”

Kohagura Nobushige, 72, on this day visited the Cornerstone of Peace monument in the Mabuni hills, traveling from Ginowan City which hosts the Futenma base. He had lost his father in the battle. He angrily said, “The government intends to deploy the defective Ospreys to Okinawa while we have been suffering all these years from the roar of U.S. military helicopters and jets. What are they thinking about? How dare Noda show his face in Okinawa?”