Protest rallies against US military over death of Okinawan woman continue

May 25, 2016 Ryukyu Shimpo

On May 25, in front of U.S. Kadena Air Base in Chatan, an “All Okinawa Kaigi” rally was held to oppose the construction of a new base in Henoko following the suspected murder of an Okinawan woman. Participants mourned the victim, whose body was allegedly abandoned by a U.S. civilian employee who is a former U.S. marine.

According to the organizer, despite occurring during daylight hours and on a weekday, about 4,000 people took part in the rally, demanding removal of U.S. bases from Okinawa.

The participants offered silent prayers for the victim.

Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine, a co-representative of the All Okinawa Kaigi, and Ai Tamaki, a member of the SEALDs Ryukyu, made their speeches on behalf of the organizer.

Kantoku Teruya, Seiken Akamine, Denny Tamaki and Toshinobu Nakazato, members of the House of Representatives from Okinawa, expressed their determination to remove the U.S. bases.

The participants adopted a protest resolution. It demands the governments of Japan and the United States to carry out a drastic reduction of the U.S. bases, a revision of the Japan-U.S. Status-of-Forces Agreement, the closure of the U.S. Futenma airfield and removal of its troops, the withdrawal of the MV-22 Osprey aircraft deployment and the cancellation of construction of a new military base in Henoko.

(English translation by T&CT)

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