Opinion Advertisement Campaign to Remove U.S. Bases Okinawa contact(July.21.2000)

The dugong native to Japan that inhabitats the sea in northern Okinawa (Left)

The high school girl who made the plea,"Give us back peaceful tragedy-free islands" at the October 21, 1995 Okinawa Citizens' Rally (Right)

Q1.On"Chura-shima Uchinaa"(beautiful island of 0kinawa)
Did you know that over 140,000 civilians were killed in the Battle of Okinawa fought between Japanese and U.S. forces?

Q2.Your goverment's armed forces
Repots say you are going to assert that the presence of U.S. armed forces is essential to world peace. Did you know that you will speak at a place where many people lost there lives? Do you think your speach will be welcomed by both the dead and their survivors?

Q3.U.S. forces are irrelevant to Okinawa.
You regard Okinawa as the "keystone of the Pacific", but Okinawa was originally a peaceful country which had no armed forces during the Ryukyu era. So we want Okinawa to be the "keystone of peace". Don't you think that Marine Corps and other armed forces are irrelevant to Okinawa and Japan?

Q4. "Red card" for U.S. forces.
Yesterday, July 20, we encircled Kadena Air base with a human chain and asked that U.S. armed forces leave Okinawa and Japan.Don't you think that the number of crimes committed since 1945 by servicemen of your country deserve a red card?

World wide Coverage by U.S. Forces in Okinawa -No Relation to Japan's Defense
　(Main activities in the 1990s)

As the "Pacific keystone " for protecting U.S. interests,Okinawa is considered a war platform, a base for the 3d Marine Division that covers the region from Africa's east coast to Hawaii.

Q5. Fifty-five years that benefit the U.S. alone
U.S. forces have been stationed in Okinawa and Japan for 55 years. They have conceived various pretexts for starting wars and have killed many people in the world for your country's benefits. Do you think that people in Okinawa and the rest of the world accept such actions?

Q6.Bayonets and bulldozers
Did you know that in 1953 U.S. forces armed with bayonets and bulldozers forced farmers off their land and enlarged military bases? Did you know that 75 percent of the U.S.bases and facilities in Japan are concentrated in Okinawa?

Q7. Violation of womem's human rights
Many accidents and crimes have been caused by U.S.soldiers. In September 1995 an elementary school girl was abducted and raped by three servicemen. On July 3, in Okinawa City a junior high school student was sexually assaulted by a U.S. Marine in her bedroom. Should the U.S.government admit that it is responsible for such misdeeds and that it cannot effectively control the behavior of its own servicemen? Did you know that about 16,000people in Kadena, Yokota, and Atsugi have filed lawsuits against the Japanese government on the matter of U.S.bases?

Q8.U.S.controls air traffic in Okinawa
U.S.forces control the airspace over Okinawa's main island up to an altitude of 6,000 meters. Not only U.S.military aircraft but also commercial flights entering the airspace are required to seek permission from the U.S. Kadena Air Base. No country except Japan surrenders its air traffic control to foreign military forces. In future are you willing to provide Japan with information on all flight plans of U.S. military aircraft,which is indispensable to air traffic control?

Q9.Korean War,Vietnam War, Iraq bombing, Kosovo bombing
Can you imagine how badly people in Okinawa were concerned about the lives of other people under fire and servicemen involved every time U.S.forces were sent to places like Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, or Kosovo?

Life is Precious (Nuchi Du Takara)
An Okinawan saying meaning that nothing is more valuable than life.First used in Okinawa,it has now spred throughout all of Japan as a slogan for movements opposing war,militarybases,and environmental damage.

Q10.Prefectural referendum
Did you know that a prefectural referendum conducted in Okinawa in September, 1996 called the realignment and reduction of U.S.bases?

Q11.We want no consolidation,reinforcement or modernization of military bases.
Why are you rebuilding Urasoe Port even though Okinawans showed themselves opposed to such things in the referendum? Residents of Ginowan City oppose the construction of a Marine base at Henoko, residents of Futenma do not want a new Marine base for Ospreys.

Q12.Fifty-seven million yen for each housing unit for U.S.servicemen
U.S. forces in Okinawa now intend to rebuild 3,512 houses for families of servicemen, and the Japan's government is reqquired to pay 57 million yen for each house. Were you aware of this fact?

Q13.Burden-sharing at the expence of Japanese taxpayars.
Why must we provide more public funds for U.S. forces despite the severe financial sutuation in Japan? Why do you demand such expenditure from our government?

Q14.Marine air bases at Henoko planned back in 1965
Many people in Okinawa and the rest of Japan are indignant at the plan to build a new Marine air base at Henoko. Have you been hiding the fact that the concept was part of a long-term formlated in 1965?

Q15.The referendum shows people oppose the new base.
In a1997 refrendum people in Nago City have already expressed opposition to construction of this military base.Why are you trying to build a new military base in this area despite the strong oppsition?Do you dare to ignore the people's will?

Q16.A U.S. -Japan friendship treaty for truly nomalized relations
Shouldn't the Treaty of mutual cooperation and security between Japan and the U.S. be replaced with a U.S.-Japan friendship treaty?

Q17.Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution for true peace
The Hague Appeal for Peace Civil Society Conference declared that every Paliament should adopt a resolution prohibiting their governments from going to war, like Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. Don't you think this is the way to achive peace?

Q18.For humanity,the dugong,and the environment
If the planned U.S.Military base is built in the offshore area that is the northernmost habitat of the dugong, an internationally protected animal, the rare species may disappear from the area. Furthermore, a planned helipad in the north might devastate the environment in the Yambaru region. Humanity, the dugong, and the rest of nature, must live together.

Q19.Please give us back a quiet Okinawa
"Please give us back a quiet Okinawa-an Okinawa without military forces or tragedy"(a high school student, Oct 21, 1995) How would you answer to this girl's plea?

Q20.A souvenir of our visit to Okinawa and Japanese
We do not need U.S. forces on our soil. If you think you need them for the U.S., do not hesitate to take them home with you as a souvenir of your visit.

Sponsors-Okinawa PrefectureSAKUGAWA Seiichi［"Okinawa Prefecture Citizens Council Opposing the Intra-Prefectural Relocation of Futenma Air Station and Naha U.S.Naval Port"(Prefecture Citizens Council) joint Representative; Okinawa University professor］NAKAMURA Fumiko［Prefecture Citizens Council joint Representative ; One Foot Campaign ］TAIRA Osamu［Prefecture Citizens Council Deputy Representative ; Pastor］ASHITOMI Hiroshi［Reprezentative of Council for Oppsing Offshoe Base Construction(Nago City)］KINJOU Yuji［Council of Association to Stop Heliport Construction at Henoko ; Representative, Society to Protect Life］HIGASHIONNA Takuma［Acting Reprezentative, No to Heliport ! Association of 10 Districts north of Futami ］TAKAESU Ayano［Network of Thousands Opposed Military Bases］AHAGON Syoukoh［Director,Wabiai Village ; Anti-War Landowner ; Life is Precious House "Peace Museum"］Sponsors-To,Do,Fu and other Prefectures UEHARA Seishin［Kanto Chapter of Okinawa One-Tsubo Anti-War Landowners Association ; sponsor of 3.17 Gathering］OHTSU Ken'ichi［Japan Conference of Christian Churches ; sponsor of 3.17 Gathering］UCHIDA Masatoshi［Attorney ; sponsor of 3.17 Gathering］TAKEDA Takao［Nihonzan-Myouhouji(a Japanese buddist temple) sponsor of 3.17 Gathering］KOITABASHI Toshiichiroh［Representative Manager,New Yokota Base noise Pollution Lawsuit Group］KUNIHIRO Masao［Specially Appointed Visiting Professor, University of Edinburgh］HONDA Katuiti［Journalist］ASAI Motofumi［Professor,Meiji Gakuin University］.and 145 other persons.The total number of supporters is 1,752(organizations and individuals)as of July 14,2000.