Protest Against U.S. Force

Huge rally against United States Force in Okinawa again. 65 thousands of people in Okinawa participated in the rally on Sunday, protesting the murder of young lady in Uruma City by former member of U.S. Marine Corps. Okinawa is the place where China has been raising tension around Senkaku Island in East China Sea. Consecutive crimes by U.S. personnel delay settling the argument over restructuring U.S. Force in Okinawa and make security posture in the region vulnerable.

It was 1995 when 85 thousands gathered protesting rape incident on an elementary school girl by three men with U.S. Marine or Navy. Although the number was smaller than that time, families, old agers or regional groups streamed in an athletic stadium in Naha City. Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito refused the rally, opposing prepared draft of resolution of the meeting. It was a difference from multi-partisan rally in 1995.

In the meeting, a message from the father of the victim was read. “In the situation of consecutive crimes and accidents by U.S. military personnel or tails, my daughter also became one of the victims. Not to produce another victim, I require removal of all U.S. bases in Okinawa and protest building new base in Henoko. I think it is possible, when the people in Okinawa are united,” told the father. Governor of Okinawa, Takeshi Onaga, regretted that he could not change the system of politics in spite of firm determination not to reiterate the tragedy in 1995.

The resolution delivered from the rally was fundamentally hostile to U.S. Force. It quoted that U.S. Force committed 5,910 crimes, 575 of which was felonious ones, only after Okinawa’s returning to Japan in 1972. “Every time a crime occurred, U.S. and Japanese government referred to ‘official discipline’ or ‘recurrence prevention,’ but there is no example of implementation. Anger of Okinawan people requiring removal of U.S. bases to prevent those crimes cannot be ceased,” told the resolution.

The conclusion of the rally was requirement of apology and thorough compensation from U.S. and Japanese government, retreat of U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa and closing and removal of Futenma Marine Airbase without relocating it to other place in Okinawa, and fundamental revision of Japan-U.S. status of force agreement.

LDP is worrying about the impact of growing anger in Okinawa on coming election of House of Councillors. Although Shinzo Abe administration was showing soft and talkative attitude on Futenma relocation, the crime of U.S. Force undermined those efforts. The opposite parties want to grab this momentum to counter leading party’s advance. However, both sides do not look to be aware of damage on security posture in southern sea.