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Okinawa Governor urges Defense Minister to respect right to self-determination regarding new US base

Okinawa Governor urges Defense Minister to respect right to self-determination regarding new US base

May 10, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani had their first meeting on May 9 at the prefectural government office in Naha. Onaga asked Nakatani to cancel the plan to relocate U.S. Marine Corp Air Station Futenma to Henoko, Nago. The governor said, “It is impossible to build a new U.S. base in Henoko. I would absolutely oppose it.”

Onaga criticized the central government for its stance that ‘Henoko is the only solution.’...

 

Polls show growing nationwide opposition to Henoko relocation

Polls show growing nationwide opposition to Henoko relocation

May 4, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo
Opinion polls recently conducted by national newspapers in Japan have shown that a growing segment of the population in mainland Japan is critical of the government’s attitude toward the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the Henoko...

Okinawa Governor conveys his intention of investigating Henoko to central government

Okinawa Governor conveys his intention of investigating Henoko to central government

April 30, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) will carry out a survey in the sea off Henoko between May 11 and 25, to investigate how corals have been damaged by concrete blocks installed by the Okinawa Defense Bureau. Currently, the Ministry of Defense is conducting preparation...

Major rally against Henoko relocation to be held May 17

Major rally against Henoko relocation to be held May 17

May 1, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

A group of civic leaders opposing the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Henoko in Nago announced at a press conference in Naha on April 30 that a major rally against the base construction will be held on May 17 at 1 p.m. at Okinawa Cellular Stadium...

JCG officer: “If a protester dies, I’ll let you know”

May 1, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

The Japanese government is carrying out offshore construction activity as part of the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the Henoko district of Nago. On April 28, a ship carrying protesters against the new base was capsized. One of the citizens...

JCG officers board craft carrying Henoko protesters, making it capsize

JCG officers board craft carrying Henoko protesters, making it capsize

April 29, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

The Japanese government is carrying out offshore construction activity as part of the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the Henoko district of Nago. A ship with four citizens protesting against the activity was capsized close to a marine construction...

Protest rally against construction of new US military base attracts 2,500 people during Abe’s visit to US

Protest rally against construction of new US military base attracts 2,500 people during Abe's visit to US

April 29, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

On April 28, a protest rally was held in the public square in front of the Okinawa Prefectural Government Office in Naha. According to the organizers, about 2,500 people took part. In the Japan-U.S. summit meeting, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Barack...

Public service employees’ unions denounce 24-hour surveillance of Henoko protesters

Public service employees’ unions denounce 24-hour surveillance of Henoko protesters

April 24, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

On April 23, 4 labor unions held an emergency session in front of the Okinawa General Bureau of the Japanese Government Cabinet Office in Naha. It included a public service union whose members work for the department which is carrying out the surveillance of protesters...

Scandinavian diplomats learn about Henoko issue from Nago Mayor

Scandinavian diplomats learn about Henoko issue from Nago Mayor

April 11, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

Diplomats from the embassies of four Nordic countries met with Mayor Susumu Inamine on April 10 to receive a briefing on the political situation, including the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Henoko in Nago. They heard about the mayor’s...

Bite marks of dugong found close to Henoko relocation area

Bite marks of dugong found close to Henoko relocation area

April 16, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

Dugong bite marks were found on April 15 at a depth of 19.7 meters under water in a part of Oura Bay adjacent to the planned Henoko base. Dugong bite marks have never been found at such a depth in Japan before. There is a possibility that the seabed-boring survey...

New US base 46 million yen donated to Henoko Fund in a week

April 18, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

The Henoko Fund, which was set up to try to prevent construction of a new U.S. airfield in Henoko, Nago on April 9, has raised 46,291,683 yen in one week. The Governments of Japan and the United States plan to move U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan...