Press Conference in Protest of the Okinawa Governor's Methods for Resolving the Futemna Problem
Teruya Moriyuki, member of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly
(1.) Okinawa Governor Onaga should apologize to the people of Okinawa and Japan for the statements he made to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
(2.) Governor Onaga should apologize to the people of Okinawa and Japan for having accepted the findings of the Independent Review Committee on the Land Reclamation Permit Approval Process.
(3.) As a proud resident of Okinawa and citizen of Japan, Governor Onaga should show strong leadership and resolve the Futenma air base relocation controversy as a political issue.
(1.) Okinawa Governor Onaga should apologize to the people of Okinawa and Japan for the statements he made to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
I am equally proud to be both a resident of Okinawa and a citizen of Japan, and I believe that the large majority of Okinawan people feel the same way. Nevertheless, when I see the problem of the air base relocation somehow get transformed into a matter of the human rights of indigenous people, I feel like the Prefecture of Okinawa is in a real crisis.
Moreover, this is a crisis of Governor Onaga's own making.
Governor Onaga's political stance is based purely on opposition and involves no constructive strategy to resolve the problem. This has sown unease among the people of Okinawa and has damaged Japan's credibility among foreign nations.
Governor Onaga's strategy has been to appeal for support purely based on his strident opposition to the transfer of Air Station Futenma to Henoko, but he has put forward no alternative proposal of his own. Then on September 22 Governor Onaga delivered a speech to the United Nations Human Rights Council which was extremely unbecoming of a prefectural governor and which greatly damaged the pride, status, and trustworthiness of both the nation of Japan and the Prefecture of Okinawa. For this, Governor Onaga bears a grave responsibility and he should apologize to the people of Okinawa and Japan. I will explain as follows six ways in which the Governor's speech was inappropriate.
(a.) He misused the expression "right to autonomy".
(b.) He turned the controversy over the air base relocation from a political issue into a question of human rights.
(c.) He misled the world to believe that the people of Okinawa are an indigenous people of Japan.
(d.) He generated distrust for Japan and Okinawa within the international community due to the contradictory messages that he, the representative of the Japanese government, and the Okinawan resident Ms. Ganaha delivered to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
(e.) He repudiated Japan's democracy.
(f.) He made factually inaccurate comments about how land in the Prefecture of Okinawa was acquired for military use.
(a.) Misusing the expression "right to autonomy"
In Japan, no precise law exists on the right to regional autonomy. At the United Nations Human Rights Council, Governor Onaga did not clarify his definition of the term, while using it to refer to the right of indigenous people to self-determination under international law. On the other hand, in response to a question posed in the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly on October 5, he explained that, "It is a general term used to mean the right to make our own decisions." Thus, he has applied the phrase "right to autonomy" with different definitions in mind as suits his convenience.
(b.) Turning the controversy over the air base relocation from a political issue into a question of human rights
Even though the air base controversy is a political problem which is the responsibility of the prefectural governor to resolve, Governor Onaga has presented it as a question of human rights involving violations of the rights of indigenous people. Up to now, Okinawan governments of both left-wing and right-wing political stripe have recognized this as a political issue, and Okinawan governors have taken the lead in attempting to resolve the issue on that basis.
(c.) Misleading the world to believe that the people of Okinawa are an indigenous people of Japan
It is deeply regrettable that Governor Onaga has given the international community the false impression that the inhabitants of Okinawa are an indigenous people. We, the people of Okinawa, were never even held a discussion on our alleged status as an "indigenous people".
(d.) Generating distrust for Japan and Okinawa within the international community
Governor Onaga should have sounded out public opinion in Okinawa and coordinated with the Japanese government from his position as governor before giving his speech to the UN. However, he did not comply with this procedure and as a result sent a bad signal to the world. For this he bears considerable blame.
(e.) Repudiating Japan's democracy
Mr. Onaga is the governor of one of the forty-seven prefectures which constitute the nation of Japan. And yet, he asserted in his speech that, "Japan is unable to protect the liberty, equality, and human rights of its own people." Governor Onaga's repudiating of Japan's democracy from his position as an elected governor was an incomprehensible declaration of contempt for his own office.
(f.) Making factually inaccurate comments about how land in the Prefecture of Okinawa was acquired for military use
Governor Onaga said in his speech that, "Okinawa never offered up its own land willingly", but that is not true. Observe the following two cases in point.
i.) The case of Camp Schwab in the village of Kushi (now Henoko)
-On December 28 1956, an agreement on the direct use of land by the US military government in Okinawa was concluded with the mayor of Kushi at the headquarters of Ryukyu Command. According to Henoko Magazine, this was a voluntary agreement which the village of Kushi approved with conditions. Concerning the deal, Lieutenant Colonel Sanki, a US Army officer, noted in his personal account that, "The Mayor of Kushi, Higa, made repeated requests in 1956 to have a US military base built in order to promote the village's development."
ii.) The case of Camp Hansen in the village of Kin
-An Okinawan newspaper reported on October 19 1957 that, "Active lobbying has been taking place to have the temporary camp in Kin become a permanent US Marine base."
Governor Onaga's remarks concealed the historical fact that the people of Okinawa had been actively inviting the US to construct military bases. Moreover, the original owners of the land where US military installations now stand receive rent in accordance with the agreements that they had voluntarily signed, and many of them do not wish to have the land returned.
I have also been told that on November 9 the Prefecture of Okinawa sent copies of Governor Onaga's speech before the United Nations Human Rights Council to the UN ambassadors of 151 countries and territories. However, the residents of Okinawa were not consulted beforehand about the contents of that speech, which reflect only the personal opinions of the governor. I register my strong protest to this and ask that the speech be retracted.
(2.) Governor Onaga should apologize to the people of Okinawa and Japan for having accepted the findings of the Independent Review Committee on the Land Reclamation Permit Approval Process.
Governor Onaga accepted the findings of the Independent Review Committee and cancelled the approval of the permit for land reclamation. However, this permit had been approved by the previous governor, Nakaima Hirokazu, following a nine-month investigation centering around the Okinawa Department of Construction and Civil Engineering which found no legal problems.
Following the report of the Independent Review Committee, Governor Onaga now claims that the legal defects resulted from oversights on the part of prefectural officials, but that is an internal problem for the prefectural government of Okinawa, not a problem for the whole country. Naturally, as governor it is Onaga who bears ultimate responsibility for any errors made by government personnel. Therefore, I ask that Governor Onaga apologize to the people of Okinawa and the nation.
(3.) As a proud resident of Okinawa and citizen of Japan, Governor Onaga should show strong leadership and resolve the Futenma air base relocation controversy as a political issue.
Announcement of an Open Letter of Inquiry to United Nations-affiliated NGOs
The Okinawa People's Association to Investigate the Activities of UN-affiliated NGOs
President: Nakamura Satoru
It goes without saying that we Okinawan residents of Tokyo believe ourselves to be Japanese, and do not at all self-identify as "indigenous people". However, a speech to the United Nations Human Rights Council by Onaga Takeshi, the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture, has led the international community to mistakenly conclude that the people of Okinawa are an indigenous people of Japan. This act has deeply wounded our pride as Okinawans. When we checked foreign news reports, we confirmed that this misunderstanding is spreading. In Chinese media, the term "right to autonomy" was translated using the politically loaded expression "right to self-determination". We believe that Governor Onaga has a responsibility to us and to future generations to stake his political career on clearing up this misunderstanding .
Furthermore, we cannot overlook the troubling process through which Governor Onaga's speech to the UN was arranged and the organizations behind it. Coordination of the event was carried out by the Governor's political support group, the All-Okinawa Council to Implement the Okinawa Petition and Build a New Future. The All-Okinawa Council determined the participation itinerary in cooperation with two UN-affiliated NGOs. Because of this, prefectural funds were disbursed to pay for the travel expenses of the governor, his secretary, and an interpreter. Under proper circumstances, the decision to deliver a UN speech on the future of Okinawa, as well as the contents of that speech, should have been discussed in the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly which brings together the representatives of the inhabitants of Okinawa. And yet, the decision was instead made unilaterally through the machinations of the governor, the All-Okinawa Council, and UN-affiliated NGOs in total disregard for the normal procedure. The Prefectural Assembly did not discuss the speech and was not informed of its contents. The All-Okinawa Council is constantly insisting that, "The right of the residents of Okinawa to decide the future of Okinawa is being ignored", but the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly is the very place where the democratic aspirations of the people of Okinawa to decide their own future are realized. We must conclude that the All-Okinawa Council and the UN-affiliated NGOs, who have bypassed the Prefectural Assembly, are the real ones ignoring Okinawa's right to autonomy and undermining the foundations of democracy in Okinawa.
We have also learned that the two UN-affiliated NGOs, the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism and the Citizens' Diplomatic Center, have been exerting influence on the United Nations in support of indigenous status for the people of Okinawa. We are stunned and find it almost unbelievable that these sort of activities have been undertaken for such a long time without our knowledge. On what basis could these organizations possibly have declared us to be an indigenous people and what right do they have to lobby the United Nations? We feel great anger and grave reservations concerning these issues. Consequently, we have sent open letters of inquiry to the All-Okinawa Council, the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism, and the Citizens' Diplomatic Center. A few of our representatives will now read aloud the following messages.
Open Letter of Inquiry
Addressed to: Mr. Uemura Hideaki, Representative of the Citizens' Diplomatic Center
We are the people of Okinawan descent residing in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. We first learned of your organization from news reports on Governor Onaga's speech to the UN. We were shocked to discover that your organization has promoted a human rights campaign on the stage of the United Nations supporting the premise that the people of Okinawa are an indigenous people of Japan, and that the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination even advised the Japanese government in 2008 to acknowledge and protect the status of Okinawans as an indigenous people. However, we and the large majority of people in Okinawa consider ourselves Japanese and have no aboriginal identity. Furthermore, on the question of whether or not the residents of Okinawa are indigenous or Japanese people, no organization has ever asked for all Okinawans to be recognized as an indigenous people without engaging in proper discussion in the Prefectural Assembly and municipal councils. Therefore, what grounds does your organization have to treat Okinawans as an indigenous people behind the backs of both the residents of Okinawa and other citizens of Okinawan descent? What right does your organization have to submit reports to UN committees declaring the people of Okinawa to be an indigenous people?
We ask that your organization give the 1.4 million people of the Prefecture of Okinawa a convincing explanation to these two questions." Please respond before December 10 2015. Failure to respond before this deadline will be deemed an insult to the people of Okinawa, and we will have no choice but to take further action, including recourse to legal channels. We earnestly await your answers.
-From: All members of The Okinawa People's Association to Investigate the Activities of UN-affiliated NGOs
Open Letter of Inquiry
Addressed to: Mr. Mushakoji Kinhide, Chief Director of the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism
We are the people of Okinawan descent residing in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. We first learned of your organization from news reports on Governor Onaga's speech to the UN. We discovered that your organization has promoted a human rights campaign on the stage of the United Nations supporting the premise that the people of Okinawa are an indigenous people of Japan. However, we and the large majority of people in Okinawa consider ourselves Japanese and have no aboriginal identity. Furthermore, on the question of whether or not the residents of Okinawa are indigenous or Japanese people, no organization has ever asked for all Okinawans to be recognized as an indigenous people without engaging in proper discussion in the Prefectural Assembly and municipal councils. Therefore, what grounds does your organization have to treat Okinawans as an indigenous people behind the backs of both the residents of Okinawa and other citizens of Okinawan descent? What right does your organization have to submit reports to UN committees declaring the people of Okinawa to be an indigenous people?
We ask that your organization give the 1.4 million people of the Prefecture of Okinawa a convincing explanation to these two questions. Please respond before December 10 2015. Failure to respond before this deadline will be deemed an insult to the people of Okinawa, and we will have no choice but to take further action, including recourse to legal channels. We earnestly await your answers.
-From: All members of The Okinawa People's Association to Investigate the Activities of UN-affiliated NGOs
Open Letter of Inquiry
Addressed to: The joint representatives of the All-Okinawa Council to Implement the Okinawa Petition and Build a New Future
We are the people of Okinawan descent residing in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. We have learned from news reports on Governor Onaga's speech to the UN that your organization played a central role in arranging the Governor's speech in cooperation with UN-affiliated NGOs. We were shocked to discover that the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism, of which your organization is a member group, and the Citizens' Diplomatic Center, which gave Governor Onaga a framework for his speech, have promoted a human rights campaign on the stage of the United Nations supporting the premise that the people of Okinawa are an indigenous people of Japan, and that the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination even advised the Japanese government in 2008 to acknowledge and protect the status of Okinawans as an indigenous people. However, we and the large majority of people in Okinawa consider ourselves Japanese and have no aboriginal identity, with the exception of the some three hundred members of the Academic Society for Research on the Independence of the Ryukyu People. Furthermore, on the question of whether or not the residents of Okinawa are indigenous or Japanese people, no organization has ever asked for all Okinawans to be recognized as an indigenous people without engaging in proper discussion in the Prefectural Assembly and municipal councils. Therefore, what was your organization thinking in having Governor Onaga cooperate with UN NGOs who support indigenous status for the people of Okinawa in order to deliver a speech which used terms like "self-determination", implying an ethnic right even to independence? When your organization calls for "the restoration of Okinawa's right to autonomy", do you mean that you are seeking to have the Japanese government officially recognize the people of Okinawa as an indigenous people just as the aforementioned UN NGOs are attempting to do?
We ask that your organization give the 1.4 million people of the Prefecture of Okinawa a convincing explanation to these two questions. Please respond before December 10 2015. Failure to respond before this deadline will be deemed an insult to the people of Okinawa, and we will have no choice but to take further action, including recourse to legal channels. We earnestly await your answers.
-From: All members of The Okinawa People's Association to Investigate the Activities of UN-affiliated NGOs
