Japan Press Weekly

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2016 August 31 - September 6 [POLITICS]

Ex-US servicemen join anti-US helipad action in Takae

Six former U.S. servicemen visited Takae in Okinawa’s Higashi Village to join in a local anti-helipad action on August 31, the day before the commencement of construction work of U.S. Osprey helipads in the U.S. Northern Training Area.

They are members of Veterans for Peace. As they arrived on site in the afternoon, local protesters warmly welcomed the six. These veterans will stay in Okinawa until September 8 and take part in peace actions in Takae and Henoko.

Veterans for Peace has about 200 branches throughout the United States. It is dedicated to building a culture of peace. At its annual assembly in August, the organization unanimously adopted a resolution denouncing the restart of U.S. helipad construction in Takae.

Mat Hoh, 43, an ex-marine who was once assigned to Camp Schwab in Okinawa’s Nago City, said he thinks it is crazy to destroy the beautiful nature of Okinawa for the sake of warfare training.

Mike Hastie, 71, who was an army medic during the Vietnam War, pointed out that the U.S. military presence in Japan contradicts the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. He said he hopes to inform as many people as possible after he returns home about what he learned in Okinawa.

Past related article:
> Anti-war US veterans join in sit-in protest at Henoko [December 16, 2015]