Japan Press Weekly

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2014 June 18 - 24 [POLITICS]

Anti-base protesters’ tents in Henoko vandalized

A peace group protesting against the construction of a new U.S. military base in Nago’s Henoko district in Okinawa Prefecture on the morning of June 20 found its tent village vandalized. They are using the tent site as a base for its sit-in protest action.

This is the first incident of this kind since the sit-in started in 2004, which provoked protesters’ anger.

The main sign of the site was smashed in half. Materials exhibited in the tents were ripped out of panels and scattered over the ground. Those who messed up the site also tore off clusters of paper cranes which children made and sent from across Japan with messages and prayers for peace.

On the next day, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Yamashita Yoshiki as part of his tour to Okinawa visited the Henoko tent site.

Yamashita said to the activists, “The plan to construct the U.S. base runs counter to the global trend for peace. Let’s work together to create a peaceful Okinawa without military bases.”

Past related article:
> Sit-in against US base construction marks 10th year [April 20, 2014]