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 in Naha. The organizers, who include members of the prefectural assembly, civic groups, and the business community, said they expect the event to draw at least 30,000 participants, revising their earlier estimate of around 10,000. Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga has expressed his intention to participate in the rally which will be held under the banner, “70 years after WWII – Stop the construction of a new base in Henoko.”
Prior to the press conference, the organizers established an action committee, which is composed of: Tatsuhiro Oshiro, a writer who has won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize; Kiku Nakayama, chairperson of the Shiraume Alumni Association of the Okinawa Daini Women’s High School; Susumu Inamine, mayor of Nago city; Morimasa Goya, chairman of Kanehide Group; Chokei Taira, CEO of Kariyushi Group; and Norio Oshiro, chairman of the trade union Rengo Okinawa.
The representatives will visit Tokyo on May 24-26 to deliver a resolution against the base construction to the Japanese prime minister’s residence and other offices. They are also considering accompanying the Okinawa governor on his planned trip to the United States, aiming to raise awareness among the American public of the military base issue in Okinawa.
The organizers have adopted blue as the rally’s theme color symbolizing the sea of Henoko and Oura Bay. They are calling on those who cannot participate in the rally to wear blue pieces of clothing or accessories to express their opposition to the base relocation to Henoko.
A leader of the action committee, Tatsuhiro Oshiro, was not able to attend the press conference due to his schedule. In a phone interview with the Ryukyu Shimpo, Oshiro said, “We are aware of the strength of the resolve against the Henoko relocation among residents of Okinawa Prefecture, but the depth of feeling is not fully understood in mainland Japan. Through the rally, we want to show the local residents’ strong resolve to keep fighting.”
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 was immediately taken to hospital. The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) officer who appeared to be in charge of the scene, said, “I will let you know if he dies.” The officer also said, “If the man has died, it is because he accidentally drowned.” Several bystanders confirmed the officer’s remarks. A spokesperson of the 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters said, “We cannot confirm whether or not the officer made such remarks.” It is unclear why the officer made the remarks. However, protesters reacted angrily to the way in which the officer seemed to casually talk about the life and death of a man who had been taken to hospital.
A college student Nozomi Kataoka, who was on the capsized boat, was held on the JCG’s inflatable raft. When Kataoka asked after health of the man who was taken to hospital, the officer said, “He seemed to be unconscious. I will let you know again if he dies.” Kataoka said, “I was surprised the officer spoke so lightly about the life and death of the man.”
Osaka resident Takaaki Hirota and Nago resident Joe Goto heard other remarks from the same officer when they were held on the surveillance boat Muribushi. The officer said, “The man was in huge trouble. He might have drowned. He is unconscious.” According to Hirota, the officer said this with a grim look. On April 29, when protesters asked the officer about these remarks, he did not answer. Goto said, “I felt ridiculed.”
The man who was taken to hospital later described how he had been pulled onto the JCG’s inflatable raft after his own boat was capsized. Although he had difficulty breathing and was unable to speak, he was conscious. As far as he remembered, the officer who confirmed he was conscious, said, “I confirm the man is conscious,” before passing the information onto other JCG officers.
Previously, JCG officers have allegedly made abusive remarks against other protesters in Oura Bay. On March 4, one officer said to the captain of a protesting boat, “You, bastard, Naichar (person from mainland Japan).” On May 15, another officer told a protester in a kayak, “You, criminal, get out (of the restricted area).”
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 barge in a restricted area on April 28. While all the citizens were rescued, one of them was immediately brought to hospital. He turned out to be uninjured. The citizens claimed that Japan Coast Guard (JCG) officers boarded the craft, which made it capsize. They plan to take legal action against the officers. This is the first time that a vessel carrying protesters against the Henoko relocation has been capsized.
At the time of the incident, workers employed by the Okinawa Defense Bureau were carrying out work from two marine barges and a crane ship. The protest within the temporary restricted area in Oura Bay began at 9:30 a.m. on April 28.
At around 11:20 a.m., the craft carrying the four protesters went beyond the floats marking the restricted area and moved close to a marine construction barge. Two inflatable rafts of the JCG surrounded the ship. Several officers boarded the vessel, which made it lean to the left, and ultimately capsized it. The citizens and officers were thrown from the boat which was left floating upside-down.
One of the citizens who became nauseous was immediately taken to a hospital. He recovered and was released later the same day. The male protester said, “After the boat capsized, one of the officers pushed my head down into the water, which made me feel unconscious.” The JCG officers held another two of the citizens for questioning. They reportedly remained silent throughout and were released at around 2 p.m. The protesters claim the officers’ actions were excessive and they are considering suing the JCG and seeking state compensation for what happened.
The Japan Coast Guard issued a statement. “We are investigating the reason why the ship capsized. Despite repeated warnings and instructions, the protesters entered a restricted area. The coast guard officers approached the boat which was motionless. Then the officers boarded the craft. We can confirm the boat capsized after that. We cannot make any further comment on the case right now because of the ongoing investigation.”
In the early morning of April 21 (March 3 in the old lunar calendar), a sea turtle showed up at Sumuide beach, Yagaji Island near Nago. The turtle laid eggs and went back to the sea in a few minutes. This was on the day of Unjami festival which honors the sea gods. The head of the community Munemasa Furugen welcomed the animal, saying, “I have not seen a sea turtle laying eggs for a long time. It is going to bring good luck to us.”
At around 7:00 a.m., a resident found the turtle while out for a walk on the beach and told Furugen. The turtle was struggling to return to the sea. While Furugen was trying to contact members of a wildlife conservation group, the animal managed to return to the sea.
Sea turtles sometimes lay eggs on the beach in Yagaji Island. The community center used to make an announcement when turtles came ashore.
Ie Village held a peace memorial ceremony on April 21 at Hokon no To tower in Mura Nishiemae to mourn 3,500 villagers lost during the Battle of Okinawa. About 350 family members of the victims and villagers solemnly laid flowers in memory of the war victims and prayed for a peaceful world. Another memorial service was held on the same day at the Ie-jima lighthouse, which was destroyed during the war. The people working there and their families lost their lives.
A minute’s silence followed the sound of the ferry whistle at Ie Port at 1 p.m.
Village Mayor Hideyuki Shimabukuro stated, “We renew our hope for world peace, which is a wish shared by all human beings, without losing our memories of World War II.” Shimabukuro further talked about the conflicts happening around the world and stressed, “Ie Village rejects any form of war or terrorism.”
A “Peace Walk” retracing some of the sites of the Battle of Okinawa was held on April 26. Sixty-three people viewed sites from Urasoe Castle Ruins to Shuri in Naha. Takamatsu Gushiken, the president of Gamafuya, a volunteer group dedicated to the recovery of human remains from the Battle of Okinawa, and 85-year-old war survivor Saneyoshi Furugen delivered speeches. At the age of 15, Furugen was conscripted into the Japanese Army’s Blood and Iron Student Corps.
Standing on the hill where Urasoe Castle Ruins are situated, those taking part in the tour looked down on an urban area. In Naha, they traced where a Japanese Imperial Army unit, which had initially gained ground below Shurijo castle, retreated.
Saneyoshi Furugen
Takamatsu Gushiken
Gushiken explained about a tomb damaged by a U.S. military shell in the Maeda district of Urasoe, which is currently being redeveloped. He said, “The law says that you have to carry out a cultural assets survey when even a bowl is unearthed. However, the Japanese government does nothing when human remains are unearthed.” Gushiken went on to say, “The government is at the very least responsible for returning the remains of those found to the family members.”
Standing in front of an underground trench at the Japanese 32nd Army’s headquarters close to Ryutan, Furugen talked about his war experiences. He said that he could not forget his classmates and seniors who were shot to death while screaming for their mothers. Furugen claimed, “Relying on military force, the Imperial Japanese Government turned Okinawa into hell. We should never have another war. That’s the best lesson from the battle of Okinawa.”
Twenty-four-year-old Kyoto resident Miho Fujii, who took part in the event, said, “I was able to know how fierce the battle was by taking the time to listen to the talks. When the local citizens fled to the southern area of the island, the imperial army decided to retreat in the same direction. That story made me realize how the imperial Japanese government sacrificed Okinawa.”
April 29, 2015 Sakae Toiyama of Ryukyu Shimpo reports from Washington D.C.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Barack Obama held a meeting on April 28 at the White House in Washington D.C. In the joint vision statement, the two leaders confirmed they would drive forward with the relocation of U.S. Marine Corp Air Station Futenma to Henoko, Nago. However, the statement does not include the wording that ‘U.S. military operations at the Futenma base will stop within five years’. The former Governor Hirokazu Nakaima approved the landfill application from the central government in 2013, on the basis of just such a verbal promise from the prime minister.
In a joint press conference after the meeting, Obama stated, “Our new guidelines complement our effort to realign U.S. forces across the region, including on Okinawa, in order to lessen the impact of our bases on local communities. And I reaffirmed our commitment to move forward with the relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam. ”
Abe said, “The dangers arising from the Futenma Air Station being surrounded by housing and schools should be eliminated by relocation to Henoko as soon as possible. We will move forward with mitigating the impact of the base in Okinawa, founded on a strong relationship of trust between Japan and the United States. ”
The two leaders agreed to strengthen the Japan-U.S. relationship as a means towards building peace in the Asia-Pacific region and the world. The joint statement highlighted ‘a historic step forward in transforming the U.S.-Japan partnership’ in the year which marks 70 years since the end of World War II. It emphasizes cooperation in the fields of security and the economy.
At that meeting, they emphasized the strength of their alliance and confirmed they would further expand cooperation under new guidelines. Japan and the United States have revised the guidelines for the first time in 18 years, defining how defense would be shared between the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and the U.S. forces.
On the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, Abe is believed to have asked for an acceleration of the implementation of the plan to return U.S. military facilities south of Kadena, and the plan to move U.S. Marines to Guam in an effort to reduce the burden on the Okinawan community. Abe’s intention is to use this argument to convince Governor Takeshi Onaga to accept the Henoko relocation.
The announced joint statement does not include any direct wording regarding the Henoko relocation, but it emphasizes that ‘the United States stands resolute and unwavering in all of its commitments under the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty, based upon a stable, long-term U.S. military presence in Japan. ‘
Ignoring the persistent opposition to the Henoko relocation, the two leaders showed their intentions to advance with the plan.
In the field of security, alluding to China’s rising military power, the two leaders agreed to recognize the importance of the rule of law in maintaining the international order of the seas. They voiced their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo. In the field of economics, they pledged to quickly conclude talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which they said will contribute to the growth and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.
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 Obama reconfirmed the Henoko relocation would go ahead. When one of the speakers who took the rostrum, declared to never let that happen, there was loud applause from the crowd. The participants stressed their determination to reject a new “humiliation” from the U.S. and Japanese government. They also pledged to make the scheduled mass rally at Okinawa Cellular Stadium on May 17 a success.
When the Peace Treaty signed in San Francisco came into force on April 28, 1952, Okinawa fell under the occupation of the U.S. military administration. The rally was held to mark the 63rd anniversary of this “humiliating day.” This is the fifth time a mass protest rally has been held since last August when the Japanese government began a marine boring survey as part of the offshore construction work for the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to the Henoko district of Nago. At the end of March, Fisheries minister Yoshimasa Hayashi suspended the order by Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga urging the Okinawa Defense Bureau to halt offshore construction activity. This is the first rally since then.
As a part of the rally, citizens took part in protests at the gate of U.S. Marine Camp Schwab and in the sea off Henoko earlier in the day.
In the summit meeting held in the early hours of the morning of April 28, the two leaders reaffirmed the Henoko relocation is the only way to remove the dangers posed by U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. The same statement was jointly released at the so-called “two-plus-two meeting,” between U.S. and Japanese foreign and defense ministers. One of the speakers at the rally said, “Ignoring the will of the Okinawan people, both governments continue to construct the new base, which is destroying democracy. We will never tolerate such injustice.”
Referring to the summit meeting, Nago Mayor Susumi Inamine said, “If people were cheated by the phrase, ‘a reduction of Okinawa’s base hosting burden,’ it would be a shame. I would like to end this “humiliation” as soon as possible.” Inamine went on to say, “Many people will work together to stop the new base.” Representing the organizers, lower house member Kantoku Teruya said, “In the two-plus-two meeting, the U.S. and Japanese governments agreed the Henoko relocation is the only way to remove the dangers posed by Futenma Air Station. We will never allow the new base construction to happen. We should all work together.”
A large commercial complex, AEON MALL Okinawa Rycom, which was built on the site of the former U.S. Marine Corps’ Awase Meadows Golf Course in Kitanakagusuku village, opened on April 25. Business people and municipal officials stressed that the mall is a good example of how to redevelop land returned to the local community by the U.S. military. They also expect it will bring benefits to the entire Okinawa Prefecture as well as to the central area of the island. The mall aims to attract tourists from other prefectures and abroad.
On the morning of the opening, about 11,000 people queued to enter the mall. The large turnout caused long traffic jams in both directions on national highway 330 from the Rycom/Raikamu intersection.
The mall is 175,000 square meters in size and its store area measures 78,000 square meters. It is the largest commercial facility in Okinawa and consists of 228 specialty shops.
The Okinawa Rycom is described as a “resort mall” and is the first such venture by the AEON group. The mall will be promoted to attract tourists from the rest of Japan and abroad. It has set a goal of attracting 12 million people yearly.
According to management, 210,000 people visited the mall on the three days between April 22 and 24, during the special pre-open period for neighborhood residents.
Naha Airport Building Co. Ltd., (NABCO) is to expand part of the International Terminal Building. The new area is expected to open in November 2016. The International Terminal Building itself opened in February 2014. A response to an increase in the number of foreign tourists, this will be the first time the terminal has been modified.
The additional building will have three levels and a total floor space of approximately 3,000 square meters. The expansion will add another boarding gate that will allow two more boarding bridges for smoother boarding. With existing boarding bridges, the terminal can accommodate boarding of up to six small airplanes at one time. The extension will also include a couple of new shops.
A spokesperson of NABCO said, “We expect the number of foreign tourists to increase in the future. So we need to enhance the features of the international airport.”
The number of foreign tourists in 2014 was a record high 986,000 people, an increase of 57.2 percent compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, some problems such as the smallness of the airport building and passengers’ bus transportation to and from airplanes are also being looked at.
A building to connect the international terminal building with the domestic terminal is due to be finished in 2018.
A record number of people visited the Okinawa Commemorative National Government Park, which consists of the Ocean Exposition area in Motobu and the Shurijo Castle area in Naha last year. According to figures released on April 8 by the Okinawa General Bureau, a total of 6,867,656 people visited the two areas in 2014, an increase of 440,000 people (6.8%) compared to the previous year. A breakdown of the statistics reveals that 4,345,261 people, an increase of 6.5%, made the trip to the Ocean Expo area, while Shuri castle area had 2,522,395 visitors, an increase of 7.4%.
The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium attracted 323, 468 people, an increase of 6.4%, and the Shuri Castle (toll zone) had 1,813,274 visitors, an increase of 4.6%. The Churaumi Aquarium and Shuri Castle continue to be the most popular tourist facilities and attractions on Okinawa.
On August 4, the Ocean Expo area welcomed its 80 millionth visitor since opening. The area also celebrated a new record of annual visitors.
The overall number of tourists who visited Okinawa last year was 7,058,300, 10% more than in 2013. Foreign tourists accounted for 893, 500 of this figure, with the remaining 6,164,800 domestic tourists.
The Okinawa General Bureau was pleased with the increase in visitor numbers, which was achieved despite a typhoon hitting the island during the peak season.
In 2013, the Okinawa Commemorative National Government Park attracted about 6,430,000 visitors, which set a record for the first time in five years. Visitor numbers continued to grow throughout 2014.
Webcam(Kokusai Street)
