Nago Council adopts statement protesting against Governor’s approval of Henoko landfill

Nago Council adopts statement protesting against Governor's approval of Henoko landfill

Nago City Council adopted a statement to protest against the approval of the Henoko landfill by Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima and to seek the cancellation of it on February 3.


February 4, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo

The Nago City Council held an extraordinary session on February 3. It adopted a statement protesting against Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaime approval of the Henoko landfill and seeking the withdrawal of this approval. The city council also adopted a statement protesting against the central government promoting the plan to move U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Henoko, Nago, and demanded cancellation of the plan to move the base within Okinawa, and closure and return of the base. Two protest statements were approved by a majority vote.

Governor Nakaima approved the Henoko landfill at the end of last year. The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly adopted the resolution to protest against the governor’s approval of the landfill and demanded his resignation at the beginning of this year. In addition to the prefectural assembly, nine municipal councils, including the Nago City Council, have adopted the protest statement or resolution. The Tokashiki Village Council will pass the statement on February 14, and more municipal councils are scheduled to adopt the statement or resolution at their regular meeting in March. The Okinawa Prefectural Association Chairmen of Town and Village Assemblies, which will be held in the middle of March, will vote on the protest statement in the middle of February. Depending on the result of the vote at the meeting of the association, there is a possibility that the movement of protest against the governor’s approval of the Henoko landfill and demands for him to revoke his decision and reject the Henoko plan will spread further.

In response to Abe’s explanation for reducing the base burden, Nakaima said on December 25, 2013, “It was surprisingly admirable. Representing 1.4 million Okinawa people, I am grateful to you.” In the statement, the Nago City Council criticized the governor severely for not being an appropriate representative of the Okinawan people, because the governor’s remarks did not match the consensus of the Okinawa people at all. It asks the governor to take Susumu Inamine’s re-election, which reflects the will of the people, seriously. Fourteen members of the ruling party of the council proposed the statements jointly. Two members of the Komei Party were in favor of the statements. Nine members of the LDP opposed it.

Mayor Inamine commented, “The protest statement is something very meaningful as the intention of the council on behalf of citizens.”

The statement to protest against the relocation plan within the prefecture and the governor who approved the landfill was adopted at the municipal councils of Kadena, Chatan, Nishihara, Yaese, Yomitan and Nakagusuku. The Kitanakagusuku Village Council has adopted a resolution calling for the resignation of the governor.

(English translation by T&CT)

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Statement adopted by Nago City Council: Okinawa Governor should withdraw approval of Henoko relocation

February 3, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo

Statement to protest against Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima’s approval of the Henoko landfill and ask him to withdraw it

Nago City Council has been asking the prefectural and central governments to close and remove U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, opposing relocation of the base within the prefecture. The council has also been asking them to move the base outside Okinawa and Japan and cancel stationing the MV-22 Osprey to Okinawa.

The mayors of all 41 municipalities in Okinawa, the head of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly and the chairmen of the various councils signed a petition asking the U.S. and Japanese governments to abandon the idea of moving the base within the prefecture. They gave it to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last January.
However, on December 27, 2013, Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima approved the government’s application for a landfill at Henoko in preparation for moving the base. Before that, Nakaima pledged to move the base outside Okinawa in the gubernatorial election held in 2010.

Following the U.S.-Japan joint statement issued in May 2010, Nakaima said, “I really regret the governments decided the plan to move the base within the prefecture without gaining approval from the prefectural government and local people. It is really difficult to accept the plan.” In the prefectural assembly held in June 2010, Nakaima said, “It is almost impossible to carry out the plan. Okinawa has the choice to reject it.”

In the prefectural assembly in September of the same year, he said, “The government should reconsider the statement. We ask for the base to be moved outside the prefecture.”

In an international symposium held in Washington D.C. in September 2011, Nakaima asserted, “It is reasonable to move the base to other parts of Japan and solve the issue swiftly. The government should reconsider the plan.”
In the prefectural assembly in December 2013, he said, “I intend to ask the Japanese and U.S. governments to move the base outside Okinawa and swiftly return the land used for it. It is realistic to look to move the base outside the prefecture.”

The pledges and statements made by Nakaima on the Henoko issue contradict his approval of the landfill. He needs to explain to Okinawan people about what made him change his mind.

In response to Abe’s explanation for reducing base burden, Nakaima said on December 25, 2013, “It was surprisingly admirable. Representing 1.4 million Okinawa people, I am grateful to you.” This statement does not match the consensus of the Okinawa people at all. The Okinawan people were deeply disappointed by that.

The Nago City Council sees Nakaima as not appropriate to be the representative of the Okinawan people. The governor should admit that he has violated his pledge.
The incumbent, Susumu Inamine, who opposes the plan to move the base to Henoko, won his second term in the Nago mayoral election on January 19. Nago citizens once again showed their intention to oppose the plan.

Taking special notice of this, the governor should withdraw the approval.
In order to protect the lives and properties of Nago citizens, the city council strongly protests against Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima, who approved the Henoko land fill, and asks him to withdraw the approval.

According to the 99th article of the Local Autonomy Act, the council issues the statement.

On February 3, 2014
Nago City Council of Okinawa Prefecture
To:
Okinawa Governor

(English translation by T&CT)

Go to Japanese


　


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