Over 10,000 people sign online petition against Henoko landfill

March 23, 2014 Ryota Shimabukuro reports from Washington D.C.

As of March 22, more than 10,000 people had signed an online petition against the Henoko landfill. Prominent intellectuals from Australia, the United States and Europe have called for the governments of the United States and Japan to abandon the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan to Henoko, Nago, and to close the air station immediately. The United States Department of Defense is moving some Marine Corps units to Guam, Hawaii, the U.S. mainland and Australia under the Marine Corps realignment plan. People from the U.S. mainland, Hawaii, Guam, and Australia as well as Japan have signed the petition. The advocates are increasing in number around the world.

This petition signature site has a comment box. A man who lives in northern Australia where the U.S. Marine Corps plans to create a presence commented, “We don’t want the Marines here in Australia, and the Okinawans don’t want them there. Build your base in your own country Obama.” A woman in Guam commented, “The Okinawans deserve their homeland back and the right to protect their major food source, which is the ocean as well as the protection of the endangered dugong.” A man in Hawaii where 2,700 Marines are moving from Okinawa wrote, “It’s time for equality in Okinawa and its people. The people have suffered long enough.”

One of the citizens who live in the U.S. mainland commented, “It is not in the best interest of US.” Another reader posted, “Enough is enough.”

One hundred three intellectuals, including Academy Award, Nobel Peace Prize, and Pulitzer Prize winners, have launched on online petition calling for cancellation of the Futenma relocation plan. The petition with the signatures will be delivered to President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

(English translation by T&CT)

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