At a hearing on July 6 at the Pacific Hotel Okinawa in Naha, five witnesses chosen by each of Japan’s major political parties testified before the House of Representatives Peace and Security Legislation Special Committee. The committee deliberates on national security bills allowing a reinterpretation of Japan’s Constitution that enables the country to play a greater role not only in its own defense, but also in global security. Opposing the legislation were Nago mayor Susumu Inamine and former Ryukyu Shimpo president Tomokazu Takamine, chosen by the Democratic Party of Japan and the Japan Communist Party. Favoring the legislation were Minamigusuku mayor Kageharu Koja and Ishigaki mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama, chosen by the Liberal Democratic and Komeito parties. Former Okinawa governor Masahide Ota, the witness chosen by the Japan Innovation Party, expressed his opposition to the construction of a new military base in Henoko, Nago, while opposing the change to the constitution. Even the two proponents of the legislation called for cautious deliberation, with Mayor Nakayama saying he did not think that Japanese citizens’ understanding of the bills had deepened, and Mayor Koja recommending that a thorough explanation be given to achieve the people’s understanding.
Japan’s ruling party, the LDP, says it plans to have the committee vote on the legislation as early as next week, but the call for cautious deliberation from the witnesses chosen by the LDP will likely have an impact on the committee’s schedule.
Mayor Inamine said that the legislation is in violation of Article 9 of the Japanese constitution, and that passing it would violate the fundamental principle of constitutionalism, since it would be tantamount to a de facto amendment to the constitution. He further stated that the government and the LDP’s attempts to pass this legislation without the full understanding of the Japanese people stems from the same core problem as their persistence in moving forward with the construction of the new base in Henoko despite widespread Okinawan resistance.
Takamine also compared the security legislation to the Henoko base construction, saying that they comprise the Abe administration’s two key promises to the United States. He expressed his opposition to both the legislation and the base construction.
Ota emphasized his refusal to accept the construction of any new bases or the reinforcement of base functions, stating that the Okinawan people’s opposition to the bases is grounded in their experiences of the Battle of Okinawa. He stressed the need for debate based on an understanding of the history of the Battle of Okinawa.
Mayor Koja, meanwhile, explained his decision to support the right to collective self-defense, stating that it only authorizes the use of force with the aim of defending national security. Furthermore, regarding common misunderstandings toward Okinawa, he asked that people do more to deepen their understanding of Okinawa’s history.
Mayor Nakayama expressed a deep sense of concern regarding the crisis of the incursion of Chinese government vessels into the waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands, and praised the legislation, saying it would ensure Japan’s peace and security by allowing cooperation between the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military.
The recent issue of LDP members calling for suppression of the media also came up at the hearing, and all witnesses expressed displeasure with comments toward Okinawa made at the LDP meeting, calling them unfounded and incorrect.
Fifty-six years have passed since a poorly-maintained U.S. F-100 fighter from Kadena Air Base crashed into the residential area and Miyamori Elementary School in Ishikawa City (currently Uruma City). The bereaved families, a non-profit organization, the Ishikawa Miyamori 630 Association, held a memorial ceremony at Miyamori elementary school on June 30. Members held a moment of silence for the twelve school children and six residents who were lost in the “tragic accident caused by the military base,” in the words of the representative of the family group, Yoshimori Uema. Some members also addressed opposition against the government for the construction of new base in Henoko, Nago.
All the students from Miyamori elementary school and 6th-grade students from Shiromae elementary school attended a memorial event in advance of the ceremony. The children laid flowers and a thousand paper cranes while ringing a bell of peace in front of the Nakayoshi-Jizo or Good Friend-Jizo (the protector of deceased children) statue where the victims’ names are inscribed.
The number of attendees has increased from previous years, with 110 people gathering at the ceremony. The bereaved families touched the statue and called the names of the lost while wiping away tears.
From July 9, Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga will visit Hawaii. Onaga and Hawaii Governor David Ige will sign a memorandum on an ongoing Okinawa and Hawaii clean energy co-development project. Based on the past five-years’ development results, the Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) and Hawaii State Government plan to devise an action plan aimed at co-developing clean energy for the coming five years. The plan includes making policies of stabilizing power supply and promoting oceanic energy. The signing ceremony concludes a treaty between Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and the University of Hawaii on scientific technology corporation. As well as exchanges between Okinawan and Hawaiian technology developers, the new treaty will promote exchanges between researchers in the both areas.
The Okinawa and Hawaii clean energy co-development project was originally initiated by the OPG, Hawaii State Government, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Department of Energy in 2010.
Based in Okinawa and Hawaii, the project was started with the purpose of co-developing and researching alternative energy and renewable energy. A research group part of the project has been studying smart grid, smarter construction, and renewable energy, and promoting people-to-people exchange.
Workshops were held alternately in Okinawa and Hawaii to promote exchanges between companies in Okinawa and Hawaii. These activities led to a demonstration project on Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion in Kumejima, and another demonstration project on smart grids, utilizing Japanese technology in Maui.
On July 10, the 30th anniversary ceremony of a sister-state affiliation between Okinawa and Hawaii will be held. In time for the ceremony, the OPG and Hawaii State Government will sign the new memorandum. In the memorandum, both governments will state their plan for achieving their goals, such as setting a policy agenda and creating new research groups.
The OIST President Jonathan Dorfan will take part in the delegation from Okinawa. Dorfan will hold a ceremony to sign an academic exchange agreement between OIST and University of Hawaii at Manoa. Okinawa and Hawaii have a number of factors in common, such as the environment and weather condition unique to islands, and energy systems that rely on fossil fuels. The schools plan to agree on how to collaborate in academic fields through promoting co-research, and a credit transfer system between the schools.
On July 2, the chief editors of the Ryukyu Shimpo and the Okinawa Times gave press conferences on the topic of the LDP media suppression issue at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan (FCCJ) and the Japan National Press Club (JNPC) in Chiyoda Ward. Ryukyu Shimpo chief editor Yoshikazu Shiohira pointed out that the comments by members at the LDP study session in question constitute an endorsement of suppressing free speech by eliminating freedom of the press, which is extremely dangerous. Okinawa Times chief editor Kazuhiko Taketomi criticized the LDP Diet members who show arrogance in thinking they are always in the right. Both editors warned that in Japan, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and democracy itself are in a state of crisis.
Also on July 2, the FCCJ published a statement from the president of the club stating, “We urge the ruling party and the government to refrain from actions that can – or could appear to – affect the freedom of the press.”
Approximately 100 reporters from foreign media outlets attended the FCCJ conference, while 161 reporters attended the JNPC conference, indicating high interest in this issue.
Lower House member Hideo Ohira said in the LDP meeting; “The best way to punish the media is to take away their advertising revenue. We should lobby the Keidanren (an organization of Japan’s major business leaders),” Chief Editor Shiohira stated; “Such comments denote the idea of eliminating freedom of the press by ‘starving into submission’ any media outlets that don’t toe the government line, which is an extremely dangerous idea.” He further argued against Lower House member Takashi Nagao’s comment that Okinawa’s two newspapers are distorting public opinion by stating, “If Okinawa’s newspapers were presumptuous enough to try to toy with public opinion, they would have lost the public’s support a long time ago.”
Okinawa Times Chief Editor Taketomi stressed; “Newspaper companies are driven by public opinion, not the other way around. People must understand that our reporting reflects the sentiment of the Okinawan people.” He further stated; “Many media outlets are reporting on this issue. They must have interpreted [those comments] as a challenge to the media as a whole.”
On “the Day of Okinawan Products” on July 1, there was a parade down Kokusai Street in Naha City to launch the beginning of the 2015 Okinawa products promotion month. This year’s slogan is; “Oh, good! I get it now, Okinawan Products.” About 250 people from the event’s executive committee, which consists of 19 business groups in Okinawa, appealed to the public to use prefectural products. They marched in the parade, which went from Makishi Park to the public square in front of the Prefectural Government. At the ceremony in the public square, the Committee Chairman Moriaki Goya gave a speech, saying, “The use of Okinawan products contributes to create and maintain employment in Okinawa and to establish an independent economy.”
Prior to the parade, Goya and Naha Mayor Mikiko Shiroma visited Kinjo Elementary School of Naha City and enjoyed a school lunch of Okinawan products with students.
During the promotion month, production fairs at supermarkets and manufacturing factory tours will be held. The committee will start urging municipalities and related institutions to prioritize the use of Okinawan products.
On June 30, Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua came to Okinawa Prefecture to attend a ceremony marking the July 1 launch of the Naha-Fuzhou direct service by China Eastern Airlines. He met with Governor Takeshi Onaga in Naha city over a meal.
The governor visited Beijing in April with a delegation of Japan’s Association for the Promotion of International Trade and met with the Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Li Keqiang.
During that meeting, the governor lobbied to link Naha with Fuzhou, a city with deep historical ties to Okinawa. The ambassador’s visit to the prefecture seems to indicate China’s enthusiasm for strengthening economic exchanges with Okinawa.
“It’s a great thing that the service will be launched. That will be a foundation for exchanges with China,” Onaga said after meeting with the ambassador.
Two prefectural government officials were also present at the meeting, Mitsuyuki Maeda, head of the department of tourism and sports, and Akikazu Shimoji, head of the department of commerce, industry and labor.
The ambassador also visited Okinawa in 2011 to attend a ceremony marking the launch of the Naha-Beijing service by Hainan Airlines.
Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers close to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a meeting, in which members advocated punishing news media, including two major Okinawan newspapers. On July 2, in the afternoon, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly members resolved to protest against the remarks attacking media and defaming Okinawan people. The resolution was proposed by ruling parties in the assembly. It is directed at Shinzo Abe, the prime minister and Liberal Democratic Party president. The assembly members of the Okinawa branch of the LDP, which is an opposition party in the local assembly, also filed a resolution to call on those who made the remarks, to reflect on what they had said. Okinawa LDP assembly members have said the comments were inappropriate. However, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly killed the resolution owing to the seconders being in a minority.
The assembly members of the ruling parties pointed out that these remarks were made at a study session held by LDP lawmakers. The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly needs to protest against Prime Minister Abe, who is responsible for what his party members said. Those belonging to the Okinawa branch of the LDP claimed the assembly did not need to protest against Abe because the study session was held in a voluntary manner.
While 31 members including neutral and independent members, and members from the ruling parties, voted for the resolution, 13 LDP members were against it. Two members were absent when the assembly took a vote on the resolution.
While 13 LDP members voted for the resolution proposed by the LDP, other 31 assembly members were against it.
On June 24, roseate terns, black-naped terns and little tern birds listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species were sighted on Oura Bay in Nago. They were searching for fish.
It appears that roseate terns and black-naped terns breed on Nagashima Island off the coast of Henoko. Civic groups point out that a part of the birds’ habitat may be lost due to the construction of a new U.S. base to replace U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan City.
At a press conference following a cabinet meeting on June 30, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani announced that the deadline for completing the drilling survey being carried out in preparation for the relocation of MCAS Futenma to Henoko, Nago City would be extended until September 30.
The deadline was previously set for June 30. This is the third time the survey deadline has been extended.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Nakatani reaffirmed that the land reclamation work itself, which will involve bringing in loads of dirt and sand, will begin in the summer. He stated that the land reclamation work is due begin as soon as the survey is completed.
Regarding the current status of the drilling survey, Defense Minister Nakatani stated that drilling at five land locations and seven seabed sites has been completed, and that drilling at five seabed sites remains to be carried out. He explained that the delay was due to the influence of typhoons, and other factors. He further stated that there was no change in the government’s plan to begin the actual construction work as soon as possible.
When the Okinawan prefectural administration under the previous governor authorized the land reclamation permit, it was stipulated that consultation must be carried out with the Okinawa prefectural government upon implementation of the land reclamation. Regarding this agreement, the defense minister said that consultation would be carried out with the prefectural government when the reclamation work is set to start.
Iriomote wild cats, classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, can only be found on Iriomote Island in Taketomi Town. On the afternoon of June 28, a symposium to mark the 50th anniversary of its discovery was held at Ishigaki Citizen Hall. Professor of the University of the Ryukyus, Masako Izawa, delivered a keynote lecture on the issue of the protection of the Iriomote rare species. Event participants discussed its conservation.
In her speech, Izawa said, “Traffic accidents hinder the protection of the animal.” She stressed the importance of increasing awareness among drivers. Izawa further pointed out that an increasing number of tourists are venturing into the mountains, which could negatively impact on the animal. She said; “Tourism is an issue when we think about the protection of Iriomote wild cats. We need to come up with protection polices.”
In the discussion, representatives of animal protection groups and local residents exchanged opinions on how to coexist with Iriomote wild cats.
Okinawa Prefecture’s schools superintendent, Akira Moromizato, announced the start of a study aiming to designate an Okinawan dish as “intangible cultural heritage.” During the plenary session at the prefectural assembly on June 24, he stated, “We would like to study the situation surrounding local cuisine and consider the possibility of designating it as an intangible heritage”. Moromizato answered questions raised by Masatoshi Onaga from the Liberal Democratic Party.
The Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) explained its reason for considering the designation of Okinawan cuisine, saying, “As Westernization of the food customs of Okinawa accelerates, we would like to contribute to the promotion of Okinawan dishes as well as health and longevity by preserving Okinawan traditional cuisine.”
Okinawan cuisine is known for its diversity, with dishes such as “Tofu Yo” from the Ryukyu Kingdom era as well as local food like Goya Champuru. A 76 year-old cuisine researcher, Kayoko Matsumoto, said, “There are various opinions in defining Okinawan cuisine. I would like the OPG to provide an opportunity where many people involved can exchange their opinions.”
A spokesperson for the OPG explained, “There is no fixed definition of the local cuisine we would like to be designated as an intangible cultural heritage at this point. As the study continues, we hope that we will have clearer ideas.”
Okinawa has faced a drastic change in the westernization of its food customs, more so than other parts of Japan, as the prefecture spent 27 years under U.S. military administration after World War II. Some people are concerned about its bad influence on Okinawan people’s longevity.
The OPG will next month establish the Committee for the Study of Food Culture, which will consist of food researchers, nutritionists, agriculture practitioners as well as people related to Okinawan tourism. The committee will aim to develop a study on surrounding Okinawan cuisine, and the challenges it faces, as well as steps to take for its promotion. Based on the study, the OPG plans to make policies such as improving publicity for Okinawan food culture.
Webcam(Kokusai Street)
