Former governors Inamine and Ota give their approval to the prefectural assembly’s statement requesting the abandonment of the Henoko evaluation report
On December 19 at the Okinawa Prefectural Office, prominent intellectuals issued a public message approving the prefectural assembly’s statement opposing the relocation plan of the Futenma airbase to Henoko.
December 20, 2011
On December 19, prominent Okinawan intellectuals held a press conference to publically agree with the statement accepted unanimously by the prefectural assembly in November on “Opposition to the relocation of Futenma Air Station to Henoko, and to submit a statement asking for the abandonment of the Henoko evaluation report.” A total of 19 people were involved including university professors and representatives of citizens’ groups. Former governors Keiichi Inamine and Masahide Ota have also joined the group, which further suggests that there is a consensus of opinion in the prefecture that transcends politics.
The intellectuals issued the message without delay since the government plans to submit the Henoko environmental impact report before the end of this year.
In the message, they agreed with the assembly’s statement representing the will of the people of Okinawa. They also emphasize, “Asking for the closure and return of the Futenma Air Station and opposing the relocation plan within Okinawa now represents the collective opinion of the people.”
Moriteru Arasaki, one of the people involved and a professor emeritus of Okinawa University said, “The Constitution stipulates that the will of the local people should be given consideration when an important decision is to be made about a matter in that region.” He also criticized the government’s response moving ahead on the agreement, which the Okinawa prefecture strongly objects, saying, “Despite the statement of the prefectural assembly being a declaration representing the intent of the local people, it is being completely ignored by the government.”
(English translation by T&CT, Shinako Oyakawa and Mark Ealey)
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