Nago city council accuses defense bureau of damaging coral in Henoko

Nago city council accuses defense bureau of damaging coral in Henoko

Nago city council members handed over a written opinion to Kazunori Inoue (right), the director of the Okinawa Defense Bureau on February 25.


February 25, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

On February 25, chairman Minoru Yabiku and other members of the Nago city council handed over a written opinion to Kazunori Inoue, the director of the Okinawa Defense Bureau. In the written opinion, they criticized the defense bureau for damaging coral by installing concrete blocks in the sea near Henoko, Nago, where the government is carrying out early construction work on a replacement airfield for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. They also demanded that the defense bureau remove the blocks and strongly urged it not to install them in the sea beyond of the perimeters of the planned site.

Inoue said, “We have installed the anchors while trying to avoid detrimental environmental impact as much as we possibly as we can.” “We have used the same blocks we use for other construction in Okinawa,” he said. He also added, “The Okinawa Prefectural Government previously told us administrative procedures would not be required to install them.”

The council also protested that explosive sounds more than 100 dB were heard from Camp Schwab, Henoko, before dawn on February 10. Inoue said, “According to the U.S. military, they carried out a live-fire exercise during that time. That was not ammunition disposal.” He said, “We cannot ask the U.S. military to stop required training. However, we will seek to minimize the impact on local residents.”

(English translation by T&CT)

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