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2016 September 28 - October 4 [POLITICS]

In solidarity with Okinawans, rally held in Tokyo

A rally took place on September 28 at Tokyo’s Hibiya Amphitheater in solidarity with Okinawans fighting to block the construction of U.S. military facilities in Takae and Henoko.

Secretary General of the Okinawa Peace Action Center Oshiro Satoru criticized the Abe government for suing Governor Onaga, forcibly resuming Henoko base construction work, and continuing with the construction of U.S. Osprey helipads in Takae. He expressed his determination by saying, “We, Okinawans, will win our fight by joining hands with people across the country.”

Mimura Akihiko of the Save the Dugong Campaign Center reported about the World Conservation Congress which the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s largest nature conservation network consisting of states, government agencies, and NGOs, held in September in Hawaii. He said that the protection of the dugong was listed on the congress agenda and added, “Reclamation of Oura Bay near the Henoko district for a new U.S. base is a scientifically unsound idea. Let’s increase public support for our demand nationally and internationally that the waters off Henoko be designated as a dugong protection area, and push the government to cancel the reclamation project.”

The participants adopted an appeal emphasizing the need for people on mainland Japan to raise their voices in protest against the Abe government.

Past related articles:
> Okinawans demand court injunction against construction of US helipads [September 22, 2016]
> Met with storm of protests gov’t has to airlift heavy equipment for US helipad site in Takae [July 23, 2016]
> Tokyo again sues Okinawa over Henoko base issue [July 23, 2016]