Group that disseminated Henoko statement worldwide receives Ikemiyagushiku Shui Award
At 5:45 p.m. on September 15, Joy Kogawa and Peter Kuznick (left to right) receive the Ikemiyagushiku Shui Award at Ryukyu Shimpo Hall in Izumizaki, Naha City.
September 16, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo
On September 15, the Ryukyu Shimpo presented the Ikemiyagushiku Shui Award to the group that gathered signatures of 103 international scholars and activists onto an international statement in opposition to the Futenma replacement facility being built in Henoko, Nago City.
About 300 people attended the presentation ceremony and symposium held at Ryukyu Shimpo Hall in Izumizaki, Naha City.
The president of the Ryukyu Shimpo, Yasutaka Hanashiro, presented supporters of the statement with the award certificate and prize money of one million yen.
American University Professor Peter Kuznick of the United States and poet and novelist Joy Kogawa of Canada received these momentos.
Kuznick, who took on a leadership role in handling the statement, said that everyone fighting for Okinawa has given courage to people fighting militarism around the world. He insists that everyone fighting earned the Ikemiyagushiku Shui Award together.
Hanashiro said, “This has shown us that Okinawa does not stand alone. You have given Okinawans courage and hope.”
Takekuni Ikeda, an official of the Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG), read a statement for Vice Governor of Okinawa Moritake Tomikawa. It read, “With the issuance of the statement Okinawa’s present condition was communicated to the world. I hope for further cooperation in promoting international awareness [of these issues].”
At the symposium Kuznick took the podium with Keiko Katsukata-Inafuku, a member of the award selection committee.
One of the award recipients, Satoko Norimatsu, came from Canada but was unable to attend the ceremony due to temporarily ill health.
(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)
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