On the morning of October 14, the Ministry of Defense filed an appeal with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism against Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga’s revocation of permission for landfill needed to build a new U.S. base in Henoko, Nago, as a replacement for U.S. Marine Corp Air Station in Ginowan. Based on the Administrative Appeal Act, the Ministry of Defense asked for suspension of the validity of the governor’s revocation.
The work required to review the suspension will end in about one week. If the Ministry of Land accepts the appeal from the Ministry of Defense, the governor’s revocation of the reclamation permit will lose its effectiveness.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference held on the morning of October 14,”The Ministry of Defense has reviewed the reasons the governor had revoked the former governor’s approval of landfill. It found, there was no flaw in the former governor’s approval.”
A nationwide liaison council, Opposition to Henoko Soil Hauling, which is comprised of local organizations of the regions where the Okinawa Defense Bureau is collecting soil for the purpose of landfilling in Henoko, opened its second general meeting on the morning of October 3rd at a prefectural education and culture assembly hall in Nagasaki City. The meeting was held to make decisions about the presentation of a petition against soil hauling to the government and to discuss future activities.
Approximately 20 people from Kagawa, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima Prefectures, where there are quarrying sites, attended the general meeting. Etsuko Abe, who officially assumed office as a co-representative of the council, announced that “not even a grain of the soil of our hometowns may be displaced for use in war.”
On October 7, the Okinawa Defense Bureau announced the results of a survey calculating the activity of MV-22 Osprey aircraft and helicopters at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma during fiscal 2014 (April 2014-March 2015). Osprey takeoffs numbered 1,368, and landings numbered 1,367.
The total of takeoffs and landings was 2,7351, an increase of 1,072 compared to the previous year. Though nighttime flights after 10 p.m. are supposed to be restricted by the Aircraft Noise Regulation Measures agreed upon by the US and Japan, nighttime flights rose to 137, which was 60 more than the previous year, or 2.3 times more.
The survey was carried out by the Okinawa Defense Bureau on all days except holidays. It also surveyed flight patterns. The results showed that Osprey were seen flying south of the flight route determined by the U.S.-Japan joint committee in 2007.
Helicopters were also found to be flying outside of the determined flight routes. However, the Defense Bureau stated, “Weather conditions, such as wind speed and direction, mean that it is necessary for each flight to take a different route. The survey results do not imply that the U.S. military is not adhering to reports.”
Toshio Takahashi, leader of the plaintiffs in the Futenma noise lawsuit, spoke damningly, saying, “The government claims that they are reducing our burden, but this is proof that the opposite is actually true. The very fact that Osprey were deployed at Futenma, which even the U.S. admits is the most dangerous base in the world, is unacceptable.”
At a press conference on October 7, Minister of Defense Gen Nakatani said of the increase in nighttime Osprey flights, “I will ask the U.S. to adhere to the U.S.-Japan joint committee’s agreement and work to reduce the impact on residents as much as possible.” He expressed his intent to ensure adherence to the Aircraft Noise Regulation Measures.
The U.S. and Japanese government agreed upon sharing with the U.S. military the water and air area around Okidaito Island of Kitadaito Village, which currently hosts a U.S. military shooting range, at the joint U.S.-Japan commission on October 6. The area will be used by both the U.S. military and Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF).
According to the Ministry of Defense, JSDF will carry out training for anti-surface naval gunfire on escort warships, as well as landing training. It has also been announced that the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Force will carry out field training exercises at the existing U.S. military facilities in Okinawa. A strong coalition between the U.S. military and JSDF is clear in the agreement, and it indicates an increase of training that involves real fight simulation.
It is the first approval of permanent use of U.S. military facilities by the JSDF since the realignment roadmap of U.S. forces in Japan was agreed on in May 2006, when JSDF trainings at Camp Hansen were approved.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the agreement at the joint U.S.-Japan commission enables JSDF to use the shooting range at Okidaito Island for about 20 days a year. The use of the range by both U.S. and Japan is allowed up to 180 days per year.
Around 10 a.m. on October 4, at a construction site for an accommodation facility in Yogi, Naha, Ground Self-Defense Force personnel disposed of an unexploded WWII five-inch shell (44 centimeters long and 12.7 centimeters in diameter). The unexploded ordnance was found this August. The disposal work was completed at 10:31 a.m. and no damage occurred.
About 1,710 people were evacuated from about 610 households and 74 business premises within a 156 meter radius of the site of the disposal. Fifty-seven people evacuated from Naha City Public Health Center. From 9:50 a.m., traffic control was implemented at 14 locations, including a partial closure of Route 222, which meant buses had to take a detour.
The areas evacuated included hospitals and elderly residences. With help from staff, residents and patients evacuated to a shelter and buildings away from any potential danger.
One hundred eighty-one environmental organizations, including international environmental NGO FoE Japan, released a joint statement supporting Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga. Onaga revoked the approval to reclaim land for the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma Air Station to the Henoko coastal area in Nago. There were also 5,221 individuals who supported the joint statement.
In the statement, supporters referred to the fact that Onaga won last year’s gubernatorial election on a pledge to oppose the Henoko relocation. They claimed that the governments of Japan and the United States should not ignore Okinawan people’s overwhelming support for the Okinawa governor.
The statement demanded the Japanese government stop the new base construction in Henoko and not take countermeasures against the governor’s revoking of the landfill approval under the Administrative Appeal Act.
They handed over signatures collected from the supporters as well as the joint statement to a representative of Japan’s Ministry of Defense.
The 30th anniversary ceremony of a sister-state affiliation between Okinawa and Hawaii was held on the evening of October 9 at the Loisir Hotel & Spa Tower Naha in Naha.
Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga and Hawaii Governor David Ige expressed gratitude towards their predecessors who have passed down a long-standing human bond. It has been more than 100 years since the first Uchinanchu immigrants moved to Hawaii in 1900.
Upon the 30th anniversary of the sister-state relationship between the island societies, the leaders vowed that they would build a new era of exchange to build human resources and develop academic affairs, including promoting cooperation in the energy field.
Governor Onaga and Governor Ige exchanged memorial gifts including an Okinawan Sabani boat, an eku (paddle) and a Hawaiian canoe paddle.
The gifts signify the shared wish of the two governors: “They, who live on similar islands floating in the Pacific Ocean, will paddle together in order to create a peaceful and secure world.”
In his address, Governor Onaga stated that: “We updated the agreement on cooperation for development of new energy sources between the two states, and confirmed a cultural academic exchange program between the Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts and its counterparts in July, when I visited Hawaii. That marked a new step in the history of our friendship. It is significant that Mr. Ige was elected as the first Uchinanchu Governor in Hawaii. I hope Mr. Ige can contribute his energy to promoting peace and development in the Asia-Pacific region.”
Governor Ige said: “more than 100 years have passed since my grandfather moved to Hawaii from Okinawa in 1907. We are connected by ties of friendship and family members. It is an honor for me to attend a ceremony to celebrate the 30 years of the sister-state relations between Hawaii and Okinawa. I hope the relationship between the two states will last forever.
The wives of the governors stood on stage, accompanying their husbands.
Governor Onaga invited Govenor Ige to attend the 6th World Uchinanchu Festival, which will be held in October next year.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy, President Mark Higa of the Hawaii United Okinawa Association (HUOA) and Okinawa Prefectural Assembly Chairman Masaharu Kina made celebration speeches.
Senator Gilbert Kahele and Representative Ryan Yamane from Hawaii State Capitol attended the ceremony.
Governor Ige took part in a parade and the key event for the Naha Giant Tug-of-War festival on October 10 and 11.
On the morning of October 13, Governor Takeshi Onaga revoked his predecessor’s approval of landfill for a new U.S. base in Henoko, Nago.
Sit-in protestors in front of Camp Schwab U.S. Marine Base at Henoko rejoiced at the governor’s announcement.
At a sit-in tent in front of the camp, citizens listened to a live broadcast of the governor’s announcement.
When the governor stated that he had revoked the approval of the landfill, applause erupted from the citizens, and celebratory whistles sounded.
Some people performed the Kachashi dance in jubilation on the road.
Hiroji Yamashiro, the director of the Okinawa Peace Movement Center who has recovered from illness and continues to protest, said, “The Governor’s revocation came just in time for the important aspect for our struggle.”
He predicted that the central government would take hardline countermeasures against the governor’s decision. He said, “We will not lose to the governments of Japan and the United States. With the governor, we will continue to struggle to stop construction of the new U.S. base.”
Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga announced at a news conference held at 10 a.m. on October 13 that he had revoked his predecessor’s approval of landfill in Henoko, Nago. In Henoko, the governments of Japan and the United States are advancing a plan to build a base to replace U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan.
It is the first time that the Okinawa Prefectural Government has exercised its legal authority in order to prevent construction of U.S. base in Henoko.
This is an unusual situation where the central government has lost its legal basis to continue construction work for the new U.S. base.
Okinawa Defense Bureau will take legal countermeasures against the governor’s revocation.
In the morning of October 13, Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga revoked his predecessor’s approval of landfill in Henoko, Nago. In Henoko, the governments of Japan and the United States are advancing their plan to build a base to replace U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan.
Ten presidents of universities, colleges and a technical junior college in Okinawa sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister at the end of September, asking for halt of the flight of U.S. military aircraft over the campuses.
They will also send the letter in English to the United States Government.
Hajime Oshiro, the president of the University of the Ryukyus, said at a news conference held at the Okinawa Prefectural Government building on October 10, “We have a duty to maintain a peaceful and safe environment for students and education staff members, as representatives of higher-education institutions.” He asked the governments of Japan and the United States to take urgent measures to resolve this issue.
They have made the same request for the third year in a row.
The letter, referring to the U.S. military helicopter crash, which took place off the coast of Uruma City in August, indicated that the environments of the universities, colleges and schools were disturbed by the noise of flights of the U.S. forces’ aircraft daily.
They expressed their concerns, suggesting that the situation has worsened because the possible risk of a crash increased due to the MV-22 Osprey aircraft’s deployment.
Webcam(Kokusai Street)
