Japan Press Weekly

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2014 February 26 - March 4 [OKINAWA]

DefMin puts pressure on local paper to not cover SDF news in Ishigaki-jima

During the campaign period for a city mayoral election in which the hosting of a Ground Self-Defense Force base has been the major election issue, the government is putting pressure on a local newspaper regarding SDF base-related articles, attempting to conceal certain facts.

Defense Minister Onodera Itsunori on February 28 announced that the ministry sent a letter of protest to the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association and the Okinawan local daily Ryukyu Shimpo over its earlier report on the possible deployment of a GSDF base to Ishigaki-jima Island in Okinawa.

Ryukyu Shimpo, however, stated that it will refuse to retract the report.

The daily had run articles about the defense authorities having an eye on two locations as potential GSDF sites in Ishigaki-jima, causing many islanders to voice concerns against the deployment.

The Liberal Democratic Party, backing an incumbent candidate in the election campaign, tried hard to put out the fire while the ministry itself admitted to the fact that it is considering a GSDF base to be established somewhere in the southwestern region of Japan’s archipelago where Ishigaki-jima is located.

The Defense Minister also stated that the letter of protest was a measure taken in connection with the Ishigaki City mayoral election.

Progressive candidate Oohama Nagateru called for the peaceful island to have nothing to do with military bases but failed. The share of votes cast for him was 42.7%.

LDP Dietmembers, who had accepted a new U.S. base to be constructed in Nago City after breaking their public campaign promises, supported Oohama’s rival, the winner. As if fighting in a national election, the LDP head office offered its full support to the incumbent, sending Secretary General Ishiba Shigeru and Parliamentary Secretary Koizumi Shinjiro to the island.