Ignoring Autonomy

Naha Branch of Fukuoka High Court decided on Friday that it was illegal for Government of Okinnawa not to abide by an order from Government of Japan to correct Okinawa’s dismissal of former approval for landfill in Henoko coastal area constructing new United States military base relocated from Futenma. The request of the complaint, national government, was mostly accepted by the court. It was an unusual decision that ignored autonomy, which is one of the fundamental elements of democracy.

Receiving overwhelming opinion against relocation of Futenma Marine Air Base to Henoko in a gubernatorial election, Governor of Okinawa, Takeshi Onaga, voided approval for landfill construction by previous governor, Hirokazu Nakaima, and rejected orders from national government to promote the relocation project. Government of Japan indicted Onaga as not abiding by legal requirement from national government.

The court found that the approval by Nakaima was legally appropriate. “To remove danger or disturbance of regional development stemming from Futenma Base, there would be no way other than relocating it, for which no place except Henoko can be found,” told the Chief Judge, Toshiro Tamiya, ignoring actual options of moving Futnema Base to existing Kadena or finding other place in Japan than in Okinawa. The court recognized defensive benefit of Okinawa and operational merit of Marine Corps and determined that the necessity of landfill was “extremely high.” It also noticed negative impact on relation between Japan and U.S., if the approval of landfill would have been dismissed, and denied a notion that the relocation plan was against public opinion of Okinawa, because of the size of new base that would be a half of Futenma.

The decision was unexpectedly preferable for the government of Japan. “Our assertion that the decision by Governor was illegal was approved. We will sincerely deal with this issue along with reconciliation between national government and Okinawa,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga.

Okinawa was filled with anger. TV news reported voices of the people in Okinawa that criticized national government as ignoring minor local interests. “I cannot accept a decision that endorsed opinion of national government and trampling sentiment of Okinawa,” told Onaga.

Having promised to abide by any decision of the court, Onaga was willing to employ every measure to disturb the relocation plan. Even if national government restarted construction for landfill in Henoko, Onaga may reject renewal of an approval for destruction of rocks in the sea base. It is possible for him not to accept any change of construction plan submitted by national government. As long as he receives support from the public, Onaga will block any effort for building new base in Henoko.