206 local government assemblies have passed written opinion demanding land from Okinawa’s southern region not be excavated for use
The site in Komesu, Itoman that Okinawa Prefecture was told would be excavated for construction – March 17, 2021, Komesu, Itoman
February 10, 2022 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Masatoshi Inafuku
As of February 9, 206 city and town assemblies across Japan, around 10% of all such assemblies nation-wide, have adopted an official written opinion stating that ground from the southern part of Okinawa’s main island, which includes the remains of people who died in the Battle of Okinawa, should not be excavated for use in construction. This figure was tallied by the volunteer organization Gamafuya, which formed to help cover the remains of the war-dead and have been working to get the written opinion passed. Organization representative Takamatsu Gushiken said happily, “I did not think we would be able to get it so widely adopted.”
So far, the written opinion has been adopted by 30 local assemblies in Okinawa, and an additional 176 assemblies outside of the prefecture. There are also assemblies who are currently deliberating the statement, and it is expected that this number will increase further. Since learning that there was a plan to excavate and use this land for land reclamation in Henoko in July of last year, Gushiken has been writing assemblies around the country encouraging them to pass the written opinion. Attached with his letter is an account of the number of people who died in the battle from each prefecture, constructing the narrative that this issue affects the whole country, not just Okinawa.
(English translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)
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