Compromise to Local Protest

Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, announced that the government of Japan would halt construction related to relocation of Futenma U.S. Marine Air Base to Henoko in Nago City, Okinawa for a month. It reflected growing concern over sharp opposition between Tokyo and Okinawa on the issue. Although Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reportedly tried to ease the tension in the time of intensive discussion on new security bills in the Diet, it is still unclear whether the intermission will lead to a breakthrough.

Consultative committee of Governor of Okinawa, Takeshi Onaga, concluded last month that there had been “legal defect” in the decision of former governor to approve landfill in Henoko for construction of new base. Receiving that opinion, Onaga expressed his intention to dismiss the approval before the end of August. It was supposed that the opposition between Tokyo and Okinawa would be proceeding to legal struggle in the court.

Suga admitted in his press conference that the suspension of construction was a decision concerning the conclusion of the consultative committee. “It is to explain the idea of national government to Okinawa and have intensive discussion to find a solution,” told Suga. Following the announcement, Ministry of Defense will abandon proceeding from boring survey in the seabed to actual construction this summer. Onaga expressed his intention not to make a decision of dismissing constructional approval as long as discussion with national government is continuing.

Suga’s announcement was apparent defense of Abe administration, which was in trouble with declining supporting rate caused by unilateral procedure of new security bills in the Diet. If Abe would take a new step of starting actual construction of Marine base in Henoko, ignoring firm opposition from Okinawa, it was inevitable for him to further lose popularity in this summer. His political weakness might affect his strategy for presidential election of Liberal Democratic Party this fall.

However, national government has no viable idea to achieve fundamental agreement with Okinawa for the relocation plan. Although Suga made another compromise to allow government of Okinawa diving survey of coral reef in Henoko coast, Onaga still keeps his basic standpoint that construction of new base in Henoko is impossible. There remains a certain distance between Tokyo and Okinawa.

The government of Japan has unilaterally been promoting the construction effort in the context of complicated security environment in East China Sea. But, the decision of suspension revealed a fact that the construction was in no hurry in terms of security strategy. It is necessary for national government to discuss this issue from fundamental basis.