350 people protest Futenma Replacement Facility as Camp Schwab sit-ins enter sixth year

350 people protest Futenma Replacement Facility as Camp Schwab sit-ins enter sixth year

On July 6 in front of a Camp Schwab gate in Henoko, Nago City, citizens raised their voices in protest of FRF construction.


July 6, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo

On July 6 about 350 people gathered in front of a Camp Schwab gate, demonstrating their opposition to the construction of the Futenma Replacement Facility (FRF) in Henoko, Nago City, for the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma (MCAS Futenma).

This was the first weekend following the announcement of the House of Councillors election, and attendees included supporters of the candidate endorsed by the FRF-opposing All-Okinawa camp, Tetsumi Takara.

Participants made statements such as, “We will not excuse the oppression of the administration, which is forcing base construction through.”

July 6 marks the beginning of the sixth year since Camp Schwab gate sit-ins began, and a large-scale protest rally was planned for this juncture.

However, rainfall started in the morning and went on into the day, interrupting the planned rally. Even with the rainfall, citizens began trickling in around 9:00 a.m. and gathered in front of the gate.

They expressed the purpose of their protest through activities such as singing songs criticizing the Japanese government’s stance on FRF construction.

Director Hiroji Yamashiro of the Okinawa Peace Movement Center said, “Even though we were not able to have a large-scale rally, it’s good we were able to raise our voices together with our colleagues to observe the day the fight began.”

(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)

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