Okinawa Defense Bureau to compensate Nago Fisher’s Union with 3.6 billion yen

May 23, 2014 Ryukyu Shimpo

On May 22, the Okinawa Defense Bureau signed an agreement with the Nago Fisher’s Union. The bureau will pay about 3.6 billion yen in compensation for reclaiming the sea around Henoko in Nago for the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. Hirofumi Takeda, chief of the bureau, announced the agreement at a press conference held on May 22, saying, “I will not go into details.”

The union voiced strong disagreement at an initial offer of 2.4 billion yen, and settled on an agreement after a 50 percent increase in the offer. Accepting the agreement, the government will begin marine boring investigations in July in preparation for the reclamation.

The union held a directors’ meeting on May 22. There were discussions on sharing the money from the compensation and every union member will be given about 20 million yen. However, no announcement was made on the total sum received in compensation. The union will provide details for union members at a special general meeting on May 30.

According to a spokesperson for the bureau, they signed the agreement on May 20. The bureau calculated the compensation sum based on the country’s loss compensation standards. They then increased it on the assumption the union will lose fishing profits rights because of the reclamation and future construction work negatively affecting the fishing industry. The bureau will pay about 90 of the union members and 30 associate members by June.

The bureau sought agreement from the union for the reclamation last February. The union filed the approval papers to the bureau in March of the same year.

(English translation by T&CT and Lima Tokumori)

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