Roundup: Okinawa marks 43rd reversion anniversary with march against U.S. bases

Okinawa, the Japanese southernmost island prefecture, on Friday marked the 43rd anniversary of its reversion to Japan from the U.S. control with a mass demonstration in the prefecture's Henoko which is the location of a replacement for a U.S. key airbase under a Japan-U.S. government agreement.

Okinawa was occupied by the United States after World War II and was returned to Japan in 1972, but the U.S. military forces are still stationing in the prefecture which hosts over 70 percent of U.S. bases in Japan and has called for a long time to move the bases outside Okinawa.

Over a thousand people participated in the peaceful march in the coastal area, and, according to the protest organizers, they will also demonstrate around the U.S. Futenma airbase that is located in the island's populated Ginowan city and is planned to move to Henoko.

During a press conference, Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga said that the base issues remain unchanged for decades after the island 's return to Japan and he, a U.S. base opponent who was elected to the post last year, criticized that the current Japanese central government's attitude toward the Futenma relocation issue goes contrary against Okinawa's public willingness.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated that to move the Futenma from crowded Ginowan to less-populated Henoko is the only way to resolve the issue when he met with Onaga and Abe, who highly prioritizes Japan's relations with the United States, also reaffirmed the pro-U.S. stance to President Barack Obama during his week-long U.S. voyage recently.

Onaga, however, expressed his "strong resentment" after Abe's reaffirmation with Obama and said Okinawa will "use every means available to us to prevent a new base from being built in Henoko."

The governor had ordered to halt local defense bureau's drilling work in the coastal area, but the order was nullified by the central government.

In line with the newly revised Japan-U.S. defense guidelines and in order to play a greater role through projecting the Self- Defense Forces (SDF) worldwide, the Japanese government on Friday filed a series of bills that eye to pave a legal way to dispatch SDF overseas to defend Japanese allies even if Japan is not attacked.

Shinohara, a U.S. base protester in Henoko, told Xinhua Thursday after the country's ruling parties reached an agreement on the security-related bills that any change in Japan's defense policy will firstly impact on Okinawa as the SDF is increasingly utilizing military facilities in Okinawa.

"Abe is bellicose, so it is highly possible that both the U.S. military and the SDF will use the new base if it is constructed," the female protester at her 40s said, adding that "the major threats to Okinawa are from the United States, rather than others. "

"Since the rape of an Okinawa girl in 1995, U.S. servicemen committed many crimes and there were many deadly accidents related to U.S. bases, so, the U.S. bases post great danger to Okinawa people," she said.

A senior from Kobe questioned that why the central government will destroy such beautiful sea and why it will push forward the base construction amid strong opposition here?

"If the new base were completed, the world will have an impression that Okinawa is a dangerous garrison so that people will not come to the beautiful place. It is a question for the government," she told Xinhua Thursday.

Onaga has announced his plan to visit the United States later this month so as to have the Okinawan people's voice heard by Washington. "I want to ask the U.S. side to listen to the voices," the governor was quoted as saying earlier.

Okinawa people will on Sunday hold a large scale gathering to oppose U.S. bases and about 30,000 protestors are expected to take part in the gathering. Endi