August 15, 2014
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2014 August 13 - 19 [POLITICS]
Gov’t launches measures to restrict on-sea protest against new US base construction in Henoko |
The Japanese government plans to reclaim the sea area off U.S. Marine Corps Camp Shwab in the Henoko district for the new U.S. military facility construction. The government led by Prime Minister Abe Shionzo in July decided to designate about 5,618,000 square meters of the sea area along the coast of Camp Shwab as an off-limits zone with the aim to carry out the landfill project smoothly in the sea area. It plans to invoke the provisions of a special criminal act if protesters enter the zone.
On this day, the central government started to anchor buoys to demarcate the zone. Mobilizing vessels of the Japan Coast Guard, it tried to intimidate protesters in fishing boats and canoes.
Later on the same day, Nago City Mayor Inamine Susumu issued a comment in protest against the central government’s outrageous act of intimidation. Stating that he will keep his promise to oppose the base construction both on the sea and on land in the Henoko district, the mayor expressed his determination to work together with Nago citizens as well as all Okinawans opposed to the construction.
About 300 people from across the prefecture assembled in front of the base gate to hold a rally in protest against the central government’s arrogant and confrontational attitude.
A mother of a six-year-old girl from Yomitan Village said, “When thinking about the Abe government’s militaristic moves, such as the forcible start of the new base construction, I feel strong anxiety about my girl’s future.”
Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Akamine Seiken joined the rally.
Past related articles:
> Okinawans seek revocation of governor’s approval for Henoko reclamation [January 10, 2014]
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