The election for the governor of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, was counted on the 11th, opposing the Japanese government's plan to relocate the US military Futenma base in Japan and demanding the complete closure of the US military base, the current governor of Okinawa Prefecture, Tamaki Danny, won re-election. Japan's Kyodo News Agency pointed out that the election results reflect the strong resistance of the Okinawan people to the us military base relocation plan.
Danny Yucheng once criticized the relocation plan of the US military Putama base in Japan as "named for relocation, but it is actually a new construction", calling for further reduction of the number of US troops stationed until the base is closed and the Return of Putama to the people of Okinawa.
Yuji Fukumoto, Director of the All Okinawa Conference Affairs Bureau: One of the biggest focuses of this Okinawa prefectural governor election is whether or not to approve of the construction of a new base in Bennoko. This time, the governor who opposed the new base was elected, reflecting the public's intention to oppose the base. The problem of US military bases continues, and the people of Okinawa are strongly opposed.
Okinawa covers less than 1% of Japan's land area, but it is concentrated in about 70% of the special facilities of the US military stationed in Japan. Problems such as aircraft safety accidents, noise, and crimes committed by U.S. soldiers brought about by the US military base in Japan have long plagued the people of Okinawa. In 1996, the Japanese and U.S. governments agreed to relocate the U.S. military base in Putenma, Okinawa Prefecture, to Bannoko, Nago City, which would require land reclamation and two new airslides. For years, the people of Okinawa have been demanding that the US military base be completely moved out of Okinawa. The former mayor of Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture, pointed out that the construction of the Benno ancient base is entirely a strategic need of the US military and is of no benefit to Okinawa.
Former Mayor of Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture Inarijin: Ikenogu cannot be used, the runway is very short, and many aircraft cannot take off and land. Although it is nominally said to replace the Futenma base, it cannot achieve such a function, so it cannot be called a facility to replace the Futenma base. Why stick to this? Because the United States has a plan to set up bases overseas, the Navy at the Okinawa base is also in this plan.
Japan's Kyodo News Agency analysis believes that Tamagome Danny's re-election reflects the strong resistance of the Okinawan people to the RELOCATION PLAN of the US military's Futenma base. Okinawa's local economic development level has always been relatively backward, and per capita income has long been the lowest level in Japan. The local people believe that the US military base in Okinawa is one of the main obstacles to the development of the local economy and people's livelihood.
Former Mayor of Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture Inarijin: Where there are bases, they will be attacked first, and Okinawans have been disturbed by the noise of military aircraft, the threat of falling, and various traffic accidents and other criminal incidents caused by the US military. The Japanese central government is simply unaware of these hidden dangers.
Ryo kyung-kan Nagatoshi, Director of the Ryukyu Okinawa Center of the Institute of East Asian Communities: Human rights in Okinawa Prefecture have been neglected, including economically. Because there is a base, it is impossible to develop freely, and this has been the case for 77 years. If it is free, Okinawa Prefecture will surely develop better.
He Xinlei: The re-election of Okinawa Prefectural Governor Yucheng Danny precisely shows that the desire to oppose US military bases in Okinawa Prefecture and demand that US military bases in Japan be completely moved away from Okinawa is the mainstream public opinion in the local area. In the future, around the problem of violations of laws and regulations in the construction of the ancient US military base in the border field, the game and resistance between Okinawa Prefecture and the Japanese central government and the US military stationed in Japan will continue.
Transferred from: CCTV news client of China Central Radio and Television Corporation
Source: International Online