opinion

The Japanese government has recently schemed to forcibly relocate the Futenma air base to Henoko in disregard of the will of residents of Okinawa.

On December 28 last year, the land and traffic minister forcibly approved the modification of the design for the foundation improvement project the defense ministry applied in place of the Okinawa governor.

Mainichi Shimbun reported that this is the first time for the government to subrogate the office work of a self-governing body based on the law on local autonomy.

In 2020, the project for foundation improvement arose as a public discussion since a weak foundation section was discovered in the removal area. The Okinawa defence bureau applied the modification of the design for foundation improvement to the prefecture in April 2020. When the prefecture refused to approve it, the government ordered the land and traffic ministry to approve it. Though the prefecture brought a lawsuit against the government’s instruction, asserting it is a violation of law, the Supreme Court dismissed the suit in September 2023. The prefecture appealed to the Supreme Court again on December 27, a day before the land and traffic minister approved it by proxy.

This notwithstanding, the Japanese government enforced the modification of the design in disregard of local residents’ demand.

This is a continuation of the anti-popular policy of the Japanese authorities who are steeped in worship of and subservience to the US in disregard of sufferings of their citizens.

In fact, the matter of relocating the Futenma US air base was raised a long time ago. The Okinawa people strongly demanded relocating the base outside the prefecture or overseas, saying that the base is the root cause of threat to their lives and health and a source of trouble imposing heavy financial burdens. In February 2019, Okinawa took a vote on the removal of the air base to Henoko. The result confirmed once again the public sentiment of Okinawa strongly opposing the removal to Henoko.

But the government agreed with the US to relocate the air base to Henoko in Nago City in the same prefecture, and enforced the project in disregard of the demand of the residents.

The question is whether Japan’s security is actually guaranteed by the US forces in Japan.

To state the conclusion first, the US forces in Japan are the root cause of all misfortunes and disasters for the locals.

Due to the successive plane accidents, lots of Japanese lost their lives or got injuries and, worse still, some of them went missing. Owing to sharp noises made when planes take off and land, residents are suffering from various diseases including nerve disturbance.

Not only residents in the vicinity of the US military base but also schools are compelled to conduct an evacuation drill frequently in simulation of the falling of objects from the air.  Even children who are playing outside habitually find shelters when they hear the sound of aircraft.

And the Japanese are groaning under constant anxiety and horror due to the US forces who commit all sorts of crimes including rape, robbery and violence.

Though 50 000-strong US armed forces are stationed in Japan on the pretext of defending “Japan’s security”, the American military bases actually serve as military strongholds for containing potential rivals of the US in the Asia-Pacific region. If a military conflict occurs between the US and relevant countries, it is as clear as day that the military bases in Japan will be the first target and that Japan will inevitably get a by-blow.

Japan will only get instability, rather than security, due to the US forces.

Therefore, the voices of wrath and discontent against the US bases are heard among the Japanese people.

The Japanese government which is enforcing the relocation of the base against the public sentiment will have to pay dearly for its anti-popular behaviour.