Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2016 September 28 - October 4 [POLITICS]

JCP Akamine criticizes gov’t for destroying rich natural environment in Takae with Osprey helipads construction

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Akamine Seiken on October 3 at a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting criticized the government for pushing forward with the construction of U.S. Osprey helipads in the Takae district in Okinawa’s Higashi Village and destroying the precious natural environment.

Akamine pointed out that regarding the construction of four U.S. helipads, the Defense Ministry’s Okinawa Defense Bureau had initially planned to construct them one by one in order to minimize the impact on wildlife, but the bureau in July changed the plan to building all four helipads at the same time.

In reply to Akamine, a Defense Ministry official said that the ministry chose the method that would lead to the earliest completion of the Osprey helipads (“Ospreypads”). This clearly indicates that the Japanese government intends to provide the “Ospreypads” to the U.S. military as soon as possible, ignoring probable negative environmental impacts.

The JCP lawmaker also argued that the defense bureau had planned to set up a monorail line to transport construction materials to the construction site with the aim to decrease the number of trees to be cut down, but the bureau in September suddenly made a decision to construct a truck road which led to the cutting down of more than 3,700 trees.

The Defense Ministry official said that the change in the plan was necessary because construction vehicle traffic was hampered by protesters opposing the “Ospreypad” project.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo insisted that Japan is committed to construct and provide six helipads to the U.S. military.

The construction of six military helipads is a precondition for the return of 4,000 ha of land in the U.S. Northern Training Area in Okinawa.

Akamine stated that the completion of two of the six helipads has already caused serious noise pollution. He stressed that it is clear that when the four other helipads will be completed they will make the noise pollution even more serious.

He said, “It is unreasonable that local residents should endure severe noise pollution so that the 4,000 ha of land will be returned to Japan. The Japanese government should demand the unconditional return of the training area.”

Past related articles:
> Air photos of US helipad construction site in Okinawa reveal illegal acts by gov’t [September 23, 2016]
> New national park in Okinawa highlights incompatibility of US military with wildlife conservation [September 16, 2016]