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 civilianswere killed in the Battle of Okinawa foughtbetween Japanese and U.S. forces?

Q2.Your goverment's armed forces
Repots say you are going to assert that thepresence of U.S. armed forces is essential to world peace. Did you know that you will speak at a place where many people lost therelives? Do you think your speach will be welcomedby 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 Okinawato be the "keystone of peace".Don't you think that Marine Corps and other armed forces are irrelevant to Okinawa andJapan?

Q4. "Red card" for U.S. forces.
Yesterday, July 20, we encircled Kadena Airbase with a human chain and asked that U.S.armed forces leave Okinawa and Japan.Don'tyou think that the number of crimes committedsince 1945 by servicemen of your countrydeserve 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 " forprotecting U.S. interests,Okinawa is considereda war platform, a base for the 3d MarineDivision that covers the region from Africa'seast coast to Hawaii.

Q5. Fifty-five years that benefit the U.S.alone
U.S. forces have been stationed in Okinawaand Japan for 55 years. They have conceivedvarious pretexts for starting wars and havekilled many people in the world for yourcountry's benefits. Do you think that peoplein Okinawa and the rest of the world acceptsuch actions?

Q6.Bayonets and bulldozers
Did you know that in 1953 U.S. forces armedwith bayonets and bulldozers forced farmersoff their land and enlarged military bases?Did you know that 75 percent of the U.S.basesand facilities in Japan are concentratedin Okinawa?

Q7. Violation of womem's human rights
Many accidents and crimes have been causedby U.S.soldiers. In September 1995 an elementaryschool girl was abducted and raped by threeservicemen. On July 3, in Okinawa City ajunior high school student was sexually assaultedby a U.S. Marine in her bedroom. Should theU.S.government admit that it is responsiblefor such misdeeds and that it cannot effectivelycontrol the behavior of its own servicemen?Did you know that about 16,000people in Kadena,Yokota, and Atsugi have filed lawsuits againstthe Japanese government on the matter ofU.S.bases?

Q8.U.S.controls air traffic in Okinawa
U.S.forces control the airspace over Okinawa'smain island up to an altitude of 6,000 meters.Not only U.S.military aircraft but also commercialflights entering the airspace are requiredto seek permission from the U.S. Kadena AirBase. No country except Japan surrendersits air traffic control to foreign militaryforces. In future are you willing to provideJapan with information on all flight plansof U.S. military aircraft,which is indispensableto air traffic control?

Q9.Korean War,Vietnam War, Iraq bombing, Kosovo bombing
Can you imagine how badly people in Okinawawere concerned about the lives of other peopleunder fire and servicemen involved everytime U.S.forces were sent to places likeKorea, Vietnam, Iraq, or Kosovo?

Life is Precious (Nuchi Du Takara)
An Okinawan saying meaning that nothing ismore valuable than life.First used in Okinawa,ithas now spred throughout all of Japan asa slogan for movements opposing war,militarybases,andenvironmental damage.

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

Q11.We want no consolidation,reinforcementor modernization of military bases.
Why are you rebuilding Urasoe Port even thoughOkinawans showed themselves opposed to suchthings in the referendum? Residents of GinowanCity oppose the construction of a Marinebase at Henoko, residents of Futenma do notwant a new Marine base for Ospreys.

Q12.Fifty-seven million yen for each housingunit for U.S.servicemen
U.S. forces in Okinawa now intend to rebuild3,512 houses for families of servicemen,and the Japan's government is reqquired topay 57 million yen for each house. Were youaware of this fact?

Q13.Burden-sharing at the expence of Japanese taxpayars.
Why must we provide more public funds forU.S. forces despite the severe financialsutuation 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["OkinawaPrefecture Citizens Council Opposing theIntra-Prefectural Relocation of Futenma AirStation and Naha U.S.Naval Port"(PrefectureCitizens Council) joint Representative; OkinawaUniversity professor]NAKAMURA Fumiko[PrefectureCitizens Council joint Representative ; OneFoot Campaign ]TAIRA Osamu[Prefecture CitizensCouncil Deputy Representative ; Pastor]ASHITOMIHiroshi[Reprezentative of Council for OppsingOffshoe Base Construction(Nago City)]KINJOUYuji[Council of Association to Stop HeliportConstruction at Henoko ; Representative,Society to Protect Life]HIGASHIONNA Takuma[ActingReprezentative, No to Heliport ! Associationof 10 Districts north of Futami ]TAKAESUAyano[Network of Thousands Opposed MilitaryBases]AHAGON Syoukoh[Director,Wabiai Village; Anti-War Landowner ; Life is Precious House"Peace Museum"]Sponsors-To,Do,Fuand other Prefectures UEHARA Seishin[KantoChapter of Okinawa One-Tsubo Anti-War LandownersAssociation ; sponsor of 3.17 Gathering]OHTSUKen'ichi[Japan Conference of Christian Churches; sponsor of 3.17 Gathering]UCHIDA Masatoshi[Attorney; sponsor of 3.17 Gathering]TAKEDA Takao[Nihonzan-Myouhouji(aJapanese buddist temple) sponsor of 3.17Gathering]KOITABASHI Toshiichiroh[RepresentativeManager,New Yokota Base noise Pollution LawsuitGroup]KUNIHIRO Masao[Specially AppointedVisiting Professor, University of Edinburgh]HONDAKatuiti[Journalist]ASAI Motofumi[Professor,MeijiGakuin University].and 145 other persons.Thetotal number of supporters is 1,752(organizationsand individuals)as of July 14,2000.