Japan Press Weekly

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2014 January 15 - 21 [OKINAWA]

194 Okinawans go to court to reverse decision to approve landfill for new US base

A group of 194 Okinawa people, including residents of the Henoko district in Nago City, on January 15 filed with the Naha District Court a lawsuit against the prefecture, demanding the retraction of the governor’s approval of the Abe government’s request for reclamation for a new U.S. base construction.

The 194-plaintiff group includes 12 Henoko residents living near the candidate site for the new U.S. base as an alternative to the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma base.

The plaintiffs claim that the governor’s approval of the state application is illegal because it violates the Public Water Body Reclamation Act which requires environment preservation and thorough measures for disaster prevention.

In a rally held prior to the filing, plaintiffs’ group leader Ashitomi Hiroshi, who also co-heads an anti-U.S. heliport council, said, “It is unforgivable for the governor to turn his back on Okinawans’ consensus opposing the new base construction in exchange for state subsidies. We have to win the lawsuit to further the development of true democracy and peace.”

Representing the plaintiffs’ counsel, lawyer Ikemiyagi Toshio said, “As adults, we have the responsibility to pass on the beautiful nature and sea to future generations. The governor who disgracefully accepted the state request in return for state subsidies should resign without delay.”

The plaintiffs group also filed with the court a petition to suspend the governor’s approval during their court battle against the prefecture.


Past related article:
> Okinawans seek revocation of governor’s approval for Henoko reclamation [January 10,2014]