Futenma Relocation Plan a 'Slap in the Face' to Okinawa People (Okinawa Times, Japan)

"Right now, the entire Okinawa Prefecture Assembly, 41 mayors from within the prefecture, and all 41 municipal assemblies, oppose the Henoko plan and demand relocation outside the prefecture. How far is the Japanese government willing to 'subordinate itself to the United States' to curry favor with it? And is Okinawa a 'souvenir' for the Japanese government to hand over to America?"

EDITORIAL

Translated By Hashimoto Nakako

January 13, 2013

Okinawa Times - Japan - Original Article (Japanese)

There is no controversy about the fact that the population of Okinawa is sick and tired of American bases and troops. Over 75 percent of the U.S. military presence is situated in Okinawa Prefecture. STARS AND STRIPES VIDEO: demonstrators block the gates of the Futenma Marine Corps Air Station, Sept. 27, 2012, 00:01:03

The end of January is the deadline for public comment on the latest environmental impact assessment on relocating the U.S. Marine base from Futenma to Henoko. Now the focus shifts to a time frame for seeking permits for the reclamation of land in public waters, which is critical to relocating the base to Henoko. The application to do so must be made by the central government to the Okinawa governor. Internal central government memos make clear that a date in February has been chosen for the request, prior to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the United States. And at his meetings with Obama Administration officials, reports are that Abe intends to plead for progress on the Futenma issue.

[Editor's Note: Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima has made it clear that relocating the base to Henoko, which requires land fill, would be essentially impossible due to local opposition. He has called for the base to be relocated outside of Okinawa prefecture, where over 75 percent of all U.S. bases in Japan are located.]

But Abe must clearly convey to the U.S. government that there has been no change in the stance of the Okinawa Prefecture, even if the Democratic Party's administration of Japan has given way a Liberal Democratic one. As it was put by prefectural spokesman Susumu Matayoshi, who is currently visiting the United States, the Henoko relocation is "effectively impossible."

Right now, the entire Okinawa Prefecture Assembly, 41 mayors from within the prefecture, and all 41 municipal assemblies, oppose the Henoko plan and demand relocation outside the prefecture. How far is the Japanese government willing to "subordinate itself to the United States" to curry favor with it? And is Okinawa a "souvenir" for the Japanese government to hand over to America?

If Tokyo goes ahead and files its land reclamation application before Abe's visit to the United States, the rift with Okinawa will be critical.

Perhaps this is a government trial balloon to measure Okinawa's reaction? Such an aim is greatly divorced from the prefecture's impatience with the status quo and its "All Okinawa" mass rallies against [Futenma's] relocation to Henoko.

The land reclamation application would be nothing but a slap to the face of the peoples' will, and would empower pro-base construction companies and the like, thereby deepening regional antagonism. From now on, violent unrest involving public works projects like a second runway at Naha Airport and the perceived threat from China can be excected.

It is absolutely essential to maintain solidarity within the prefecture if we are to resist unreasonable government policy on the bases - which is essentially to thrust them willy-nilly into Okinawa.

During the "struggle of the island" against the land confiscations of the 1950s, in talks with the United States, Okinawa administrations, assemblies and residents presented the "four principles of land protection." In today's "struggle of the island" over the bases issue, aren't the following four principles the greatest common distillation of public opinion? 1) Opposition to the Henoko relocation, 2) Opposition to deployment of the Osprey aircraft, 3) Review of the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement, 4) Opposition to the discriminatory policy of establishing bases by force.

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To follow through on these four new principles, one must stubbornly continue a variety of approaches, not just within the prefecture, but on the mainland and abroad. The Tokyo Action planned for the 27th and 28th of the month by Okinawa's 41 mayors is an element of this. It is vital for this work to be continued - and with no flagging.

Former Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto admits that the when it comes to Futenma's relocation, "militarily doesnt have to be in Okinawa, but politically speaking, Okinawa is the most appropriate place." This is nothing less than hate speech.

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SEE ALSO ON THIS:

Ryukyu Shimpo Shimbun, Japan: Battle of Okinawa Victims Deserve Better from Government

Okinawa Times, Japan: Okinawans will 'Spew Magma' Over Crimes of U.S. Forces

Global Times, China: Continued Dependence on America is Bad for Japan

Ibaraki Shimbun, Japan: After Osprey Deployment, Japan Government 'Cannot Be Trusted'

Chunichi Shimbun, Japan: On Okinawa Battle Anniversary, People Feel Abandoned

Ryukyu Shimpo, Japan: Okinawans Unswervingly Against Defective Osprey

Tokushima Shimbun, Japan: Okinawa Deserves Freedom from American Bases

Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan: Okinawa Governor 'Adament' About Osprey

Asahi Shimbun, Japan: Opposition to Osprey Deployment Grows

The Okinawa Times, Japan: It's Time to End Japan's 'Servitude to America'

Nishinippon Shimbun, Japan: It's Imperative for Japan to Look Outward Again

Nishinippon Shimbun, Japan: Revise Inequitous U.S.-Japan Security Deal

Ryukyu Shimpo Shimbun, Japan: After Quake, Japan Can Ill Afford U.S. Base Repair

People's Daily, China: Australia Should Avoid Helping U.S. Hurt China's Interests

Australia: Aussie Coverage of Obama's Visit to Darwin; His Challenge to China

Isen Shimbun, Japan: Despite its Mistakes, Japan Needs U.S. More than Ever

As tension between Japan and China over the Senkaku Islands has risen, some on the mainland have begun to consider Osprey deployment in Okinawa or Futenma's relocation to Henoko to be "inevitable." But the fact is that the U.S. Marine Corps. isn't stationed in Okinawa for the purpose of protecting Japan.

While the government emphasizes the maintenance of deterrence, the deterrent of Marines stationed in Okinawa is a mirage to begin with: there are no good reasons for their presence.

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[Posted by Worldmeets.US Jan. 13, 6:59pm]