US air base construction: Onaga critical of government’s refusal to hear Okinawan concerns

The Ryukyu Shimpo

October 30, 2015 Ryukyu Shimpo

On October 29, the Defense Ministry’s Okinawa Bureau began construction for the planned relocation of　U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Henoko, Nago. On the same day, Governor Takeshi Onaga held a news conference at the prefectural office building, where he expressed his outrage at the government’s decision to forcefully begin construction before a final legal decision has been made regarding his revocation of the land reclamation permit. He also harshly criticized the government’s deployment of riot police in front of Camp Schwab, which he stated shows their heavy-handed attitude toward the Okinawans protesting the base construction. “The government keeps saying they’re dedicated to considering the feelings of the Okinawan people, but based on their actions, they clearly have no such intention,” Governor Onaga stated.

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Japanese article is here
知事「寄り添う意思感じず」　辺野古本体着工

Central government to restart landfill preparation work for U.S. base in Okinawa

The Japan Times Oct 28, 2015

　The area on the Henoko coastal area of Nago, shown in August, where a facility for the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma base in Ginowan will be built on Okinawa. | KYODO

Japan’s Defense Ministry submitted a notice to the Okinawa prefectural government on Wednesday announcing plans to restart preparatory work on the land reclamation project for the relocation of a U.S. military base.

The ministry’s Okinawa Defense Bureau plans to start work as early as Thursday to create a storage space for materials necessary for the landfill work off the Henoko coastal area in the city of Nago, informed sources said.

The bureau also plans to resume a seabed drilling survey off Henoko, where an alternative facility for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma base in Ginowan, another Okinawa city, will be built, according to the sources.

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Four experts on government panel accepted money from Henoko contractors

The sea area around the Henoko district in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

THE ASAHI SHIMBUN October 19, 2015

Three members of a government panel studying the environmental impact of the relocation of a U.S. air base in Okinawa Prefecture, including the committee chairman, have received donations totaling 11 million yen ($92,100) from contractors undertaking the construction work.

The 13-member panel is tasked with scientifically assessing the environmental impact of the landfill and construction project in the Henoko district of Nago to relocate functions of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture.

The Asahi Shimbun filed requests for information disclosure to universities and other institutions that the 13 members belong to for donations and compensation they receive, along with interviewing each member.

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Advertising campaigns on the street in Kyobashi Osaka.

We've been conducting advertising campaigns on the streets.


We call" No to Military Base YES to Dugong Protection Area"
"Please sign the petition to save the dugong and stop US base construction"


Putting on a stuffed dugong suit,she give a Origami-dugong.


In front of Okinawan newspapers that put an article of the base objection。


A passing group stood on our booth and one of them sang the Okinawa songs,
"Asadoya Yunta"and "Warabigami" with Sansen,Okinawa traditional instrument.
Other members helped with our campaign, too.

童神　

Okinawa governor revokes predecessor’s approval for U.S. base relocation work at Henoko

The Japan Times Oct 13, 2015


Photo:Ryukyushimpo　　 Hiroji Yamashiro was ecstatic with the news in front of Camp Schwab

NAHA, OKINAWA PREF. – Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga on Tuesday officially revoked the approval his predecessor issued to the central government for land-fill work to replace a key U.S. military base within the prefecture, local officials said.

The central government, however, is expected to promptly take legal action to suspend the governor’s revocation, planning to start building this fall the replacement airstrip for U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.

Onaga’s decision came after the central and Okinawa governments failed to reach a compromise over the relocation of the Futenma base in their month-long consultations ending in early September to defuse tensions over the issue.

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