Reconstruction work of Henoko ammunition storage facilities continues
April 24, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo
Repairs such as reconstruction of buildings are continuing to take place at the U.S. military Henoko ammunition storage facilities in Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture.
The Ryukyu Shimpo took photographs of the site with a drone on April 23 capturing at least two buildings being constructed.
According to the “INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES AND CULTURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN” published by the U.S. Marine Corps in 2014, “Proposed changes for the Henoko Ordnance Ammunition Depot include demolishing 13 magazines and replacing them with 12 non-propagating, wall magazines and a weapons assembly area.
The construction will require significant earth-work and disturbance of undeveloped land.”
Experts point out that there is an active fault near the area between the ammunition storage and the sea area where the new base is to be constructed.
Once the new base is complete, U.S. military aircrafts are to take flight, which would conflict with the “height limit” that the U.S. military indicates for the storage facilities.
A representative of the Okinawa Defense Bureau said, “The construction is to rebuild existing ammunition storage facilities; it is not to add additional functions.”
Meanwhile, Anti-Helicopters and Military Bases Council Joint Representative Hiroshi Ashitomi pointed out that “The U.S. Trump administration has declared to station small nuclear (warheads). In addition to strengthening the base functions, (this rebuilding is) preparing for storing nuclear weapons.”
(English translation by T&CT and Chelsea Ashimine)
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