Making Okinawa Matter Worse

The regional leader of Okinawa expressed firm opposition to the national leader over self-determination in people’s ordinary life. After four months of rejection, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe accepted an offer of Governor of Okinawa, Takeshi Onaga, to meet and discuss the relocation plan of Futenma Air Base of United States Marine Corp to Henoko coastal area in Nago City, Okinawa. Although the meeting produced no concrete agreement, the fact that Onaga directly send people’s opinion to Abe had a great significance for some points.

Firstly, Onaga’s words were clear and straightforward. “I will never let you construct new base in Henoko,” told Onaga, “and do not insist on a fixed idea that Henoko is an only place for it.” It was not the dialogue between political leaders in a polite and constructive manner, but an exchange of denouncements boxing fighters right before gonging.

Secondly, Onaga expressed his frustration against Abe administration with historical viewpoints. “We have never offered any land of Okinawa for U.S. bases in the past. Futenma or any other land was confiscated with guns and bulldozers. Having taken the land away from us, you say that the base is obsolete, it is the most dangerous in the world so that we need to owe it, or we have to offer alternative plan. Nothing is unreasonable than this,” said Onaga. His comment was based on the history of Okinawa as a sacrifice stone of Japan. Japanese government fought the biggest ground war in Okinawa to defend the mainland and left it under U.S. administration when Japanese mainland resumed its sovereignty with San Francisco Peace Treaty. Now, 74% of all U.S. bases in Japan are still concentrated in Okinawa.

Lastly, Onaga demanded Abe to tell U.S. President about the situation of Okinawa in the summit meeting later this month. While Japanese government has been posing pressure from America on Okinawa, it has never send the message from Okinawa to Washington. Knowing that Abe would not do that, Onaga is planning to visit Washington after Abe’s visit and ask changing current plan. The message of Onaga to Abe was “I will do that, if you do not.”

Abe reiterated official comments of the government. “Henoko relocation plan is the only option. We can agree with removing danger around Futenma Air Base. It is not be tolerated that Futenma will stay forever,” told Abe. Those statements had no effect of persuading the people in Okinawa, because Henoko relocation plan had already become a symbol of Japan’s oppression for them. Abe is simple making matters worse.