“Towards a peaceful and abundant Okinawa,” Governor Tamaki does not refer to Henoko in address for the 50th anniversary of the reversion of Okinawa to Japanese control

“Towards a peaceful and abundant Okinawa,” Governor Tamaki does not refer to Henoko in address for the 50th anniversary of the reversion of Okinawa to Japanese control

Denny Tamaki (at the podium center-stage) delivering his comments at the 50th Anniversary of the Okinawa Reversion Ceremony – May 15, 2:20 p.m. at the Okinawa Convention Center in Ginowan (photograph by Masahiro Ogawa)


May 16, 2022 Ryukyu Shimpo

By Teppei Ikeda

 

On May 15, which marks the 50th anniversary of when Okinawa was reverted to Japanese control in 1972, Okinawa Prefecture and the central Japanese government co-hosted the “50th Anniversary of the Okinawa Reversion Ceremony,” at both the Okinawa Convention Center in Ginowan and the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo, connected over broadcast. In his ceremonial address, prime minister Fumio Kishida expressed a desire to, “put their full effort into reducing the base burden in Okinawa.” Okinawa governor Denny Tamaki commented in his address, “I want all Okinawans to work together to realize a peaceful and abundant Okinawa where we can feel truly happy.” Neither the prime minister nor the governor directly referenced the closure of MCAS Futenma or the new base facilities being constructed in Henoko to serve as its replacement.

The ceremony was attended online by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, and the emperor commented, “I pray from my heart that a prosperous future can be built in Okinawa,” in his address. There were also greeting the other heads of each of the three branches of Japanese government; the heads of both houses of the Diet as well as from the Chief Justice of Japan, as well as from Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. ambassador to Japan. There were 516 people in attendance in Tokyo and 781 in Okinawa for a total of 1,297 people.

After the ceremony concluded, Kishida met with the press, where he reaffirmed that the Henoko relocation was the “only solution” to removing the danger of MCAS Futenma while maintaining the deterrence of the Japan-U.S. alliance. In response to Okinawa’s demand that the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) be fundamentally revised, the prime minister commented, “Finding a suitable solution for problems and issues one at a time is fundamental to governance,” and that he felt now was not the right time to revise the agreement.

Governor Tamaki was asked by the press after the ceremony about not stating his opposition to the Henoko relocation during his address, to which he explained, “In the written proposal I handed to the prime minister, Henoko and Futenma are included. In the ceremony itself, I called for the “cooperation and realization of the main points of the proposal.” For this ceremony he commented, “There was a very strong sentiment for the ceremony to look towards the future.”

(English translation by T&CT and Sam Grieb)

 

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