Rally decries discrimination against Okinawans

Rally decries discrimination against Okinawans

Participants in the rally held up their fists, demanding the Japanese government stop the discrimination against Okinawans in the public square in Naha on April 28.


April 29 2016 Ryukyu Shimpo

On April 28, a protest rally was held in the public square in front of the Okinawa Prefectural Government Office in Naha. When the San Francisco Peace Treaty came into force on April 28, 1952, Okinawa fell under the occupation of the U.S. military administration. The rally was held to mark the 64th anniversary of what was known　as “a humiliating day.” According to the organizers, about 300 people took part, calling for the Japanese government to abolish new security laws and stop the discriminatory treatment of Okinawan people.

Hiroji Yamashiro, the director of the Okinawa Peace Movement Center, which organized the rally, highlighted that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had held a ceremony to celebrate the restoration of Japanese sovereignty on April 28, 2013, and Okinawan people had opposed it. Yamashiro said, “We have to convey the anger of Okinawan people to the Japanese government in order to create a peaceful and prosperous society without military bases. We should overcome oppression by the government.”

Participants of the rally also demanded the government stop the offshore construction work for the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the Henoko district of Nago.

After the rally, the participants marched through Kokusai Street, decrying discrimination against Okinawans.

(English translation by T&CT)

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