Prefectural assembly asks that soil containing war dead remains not be used in land reclamation

Prefectural assembly asks that soil containing war dead remains not be used in land reclamation

On April 15 at the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly Hall, assembly members deliberate on the written opinion requesting that soil containing the remains of war dead not be used in land reclamation work.


April 16, 2021 Ryukyu Shimpo

 

On April 15, the prefectural assembly (chaired by Noboru Akamine) opened an extraordinary meeting and unanimously passed a written opinion to request that soil, in which are mixed the remains of the war dead from the Battle of Okinawa, not be used in land reclamation work. The written opinion contains the request: “Do not use, for land reclamation, soil in which are mixed the remains of war dead from the tragic Battle of Okinawa.”

Governor Denny Tamaki set April 16 as the day he would announce his response to a contractor planning to dig up soil in Komesu, Itoman City. He has considered issuing an administrative order, but it seems unlikely that he will go as far as a suspension order that would prohibit the digging.

In response to the written opinion being passed, Governor Tamaki said “I intend to give weight to the wishes of the assembly.” The Okinawa prefectural government has yet to make a declaration in response to the written opinion.

On the evening of April 15, to representatives of the ruling party in the prefectural assembly, Governor Tamaki and his colleagues explained their plan to issue an administrative order. The plan initially presented by the prefectural assembly was a “necessary measures” order, which is the most lenient of administrative orders. When remains were found, it was proposed that suitable coordination be carried out with concerned parties. The ruling party of the assembly strongly opposes this proposal and requests that a stronger administrative order be used in response to the decision by the central government. The OPG has begun to reconsider after receiving the ruling party’s request. As a general rule, the issuing of an administrative order should take place within 30 days of notification by the contractor.

The written opinion is addressed to the prime minister, the minister of defense, and the members of both house of the Diet. The proposal in this written opinion came about due to the plan to use soil from the southern part of Okinawa Island, potentially containing human remains, in the construction of the Futenma Replacement Facility in Henoko. The unanimous goal of the ruling party of the prefectural assembly is to keep the southern part of the island from being a soil collection site. The wording “Henoko” was not incorporated in the written opinion as the site for use of collected soil.

There is a possibility that soil for use in construction of the FRF in Henoko will be hauled out from the southern part of Okinawa Island, where there are remains of the war dead from the Battle of Okinawa. Governor Tamaki is being asked to issue a suspension order against the digging. There are various levels to this endeavor, such as prohibiting or restricting actions by means of administrative order and requesting necessary measures for environmental protection.

Takamatsu Gushiken, representative of the volunteer group “Gamafuya” for recovering the remains of war dead, made a plan to hold a gathering at noon on April 16 in front of the Prefectural Office to request that Governor Tamaki issue a suspension order to the contractor. In March of this year Takamatsu Gushiken went on a hunger strike, demanding, among other things, that (1) the Japanese government abandon the plan to use soil from the southern region and (2) the Okinawa prefectural government issue a suspension order.

(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)

 

Go to Japanese 


　


Previous Article:
Next Article:

[Similar Articles]