¹â¹¾¡¦¹ñºÝÏ¢ÂӤθƤӤ«¤±¡½¡½An Open Call: Stop the Violent Construction of Military Helipad! What the U.S. Marine Corps and Japanese Officials Are Doing in Takae, Okinawa
An Open Call: Stop the Violent Construction of Military Helipad! What the U.S. Marine Corps and Japanese Officials Are Doing in Takae, Okinawa
We, anti-war and anti-base collectives in Tokyo, appeal to all those who read this open call, no matter whether having already known Takae in Okinawa, Japan, or not yet: Please spread the ongoing situation of the violent construction of U.S. military helipad there!
Just before dawn on 22 December, 2010, some 100 members of the Okinawa Defense Bureau barged into the site without warning to restart the U.S. helipad construction. On the next night, 23 December, a U.S. helicopter hovered only 15 meters above the sit-in tent of protesting local residents and blew it down. This manifestly shows that U.S. Marine Corps and Okinawa Defense Bureau have decided to coercively construct U.S. military helipads regardless of the will of residents of Takae.
The Yambaru Forest, where Takae is situated, is known as a region rich in biodiversity which inhabit endangered species such as Yambaru Kuina (Okinawan Rail) and Noguchi Gera (Okinawan Woodpecker). The U.S. Marine Corps, however, has been using the Yambaru Forest for combat training. There are already 15 U.S. helipads in Higashi Village (Takae is one of its local areas). Residents of Takae have constantly suffered from the noise and the risk of helicopter crashes. To make matters worse, the Japanese and U.S. governments decided to build 6 new helipads, surrounding the residential neighborhood of Takae. Construction of new helipads will not only further endanger the livelihood and lives themselves of Takae residents, but also further destroy the precious environment with its wealth of species, forest and rivers (U.S. and Japan relevant authorities don¡Çt even keep JEGS: Japan Environmental Governing Standards, the standards regulated by U.S. Department of Defense). New military facilities also pave the way to the possibility of a new war.
Residents of Takae have protested against the helipads construction for the above reasons. In 2006, we passed a resolution against the new helipads, and demanded of the relevant authorities that they review the construction plan. Takae residents and their supporters from across Japan and from around the world have continued to sit-in, monitoring the site and trying to persuade the government against the construction. The Japanese and U.S. governments, however, have neither listened to the voices of opposition by the residents nor provided sincere explanation. The Japanese government even decided, all of a sudden, to prosecute some of the local protestors for obstructing traffic. And ignoring the ongoing court proceedings, the Okinawa Defense Bureau restarted to prepare for the construction of helipad. Also in Tokyo, U.S. Embassy and Japanese Defense Department ignore the voice of protestors.
Not only in Henoko, where construction of a replacement base for Marine Corps Air Station Futenma has been located since 1997, but also in Takae, U.S. and Japan governments are trampling Okinawan people under foot. Allowing to construct of new bases or helipads also leads to assist further military operations of U.S. and Japan. So we appeal to all those who read this open call to spread this open call, and to oppose construction of military helipads in Takae and also of a replacement base in Henoko.
To those living in America: Broad this open call to anti-war activists, non-activist citizens, mass or grassroots media, politicians or government officials, to anyone whom you can contact. Call for opposition in America to construction of U.S. base or helipads in Okinawa. Or send us your anti-base message, and we will hand it to the U.S. Embassy when we petition.
To those living in other countries: Broad this open call to anyone whom you can contact. Send us your anti-base message, and we will hand it to the U.S. Embassy when we petition. "Demonstration around U.S. Embassy: No Helipad in Takae, No Base in Okinawa!" is on 20 February, 2011, starting from 13:30 at SL (steam locomotive) Square in front of Shimbashi Station.
No More Trampling on Okinawa! Urgent Action Committee Yuntaku Takae (in Tokyo) ¡ú January 27, 2011