Restarting Henoko Landfill

To earn good score as one of the allies of United States, Shinzo Abe administration coercively started landfill in offshore Henoko, Okinawa, for new U.S. Marine base on Monday. It was the first attempt of construction in the sea, where the people in Okinawa had been protesting for protecting environment. It is supposed that Abe wanted a sort of achievement in bilateral relationship before the meeting with President Donald Trump on Friday.

Abe administration has been receiving firm opposition from the government of Okinawa, led by Governor Takeshi Onaga. Onaga cancelled approval of landfill, issued by a former governor, in October 2015. While Abe administration accused Onaga of his cancellation, the construction of landfill was suspended waiting for a court decision. After Supreme Court decided last December that cancellation of the approval was illegal, Abe administration stepped forward to resumption of the construction.

The first effort of the landfill was throwing concrete blocks onto the seabed to fix the net for containing muddy water. After setting the net, the government plans to start shore protection in April or May. Once the construction is started, it will be difficult for the natural environment in Henoko to be restored. The construction will be finished within five years.

Onaga was highly frustrated. After returning from U.S. visit, which was resulted with a few achievement, Onaga delivered a comment on Sunday that he would not tolerate the way Japanese government did in Henoko. He did not appear to his office on Monday. He is expected not to extend the approval for breaking rocks in the seabed as a next measure to protest the construction. But, Abe administration seems to be ignoring such an action, because interest in fishery being damaged by breaking rocks has already been abandoned. Even if Onaga abolishes the approval of landfill, it will stop the construction for only a few weeks. Okinawa looks like reaching stalemate.

Abe was encouraged by new U.S. administration. He reconfirmed with Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, in Tokyo last week that relocation plan of Futenma Air Base to Henoko would be an only solution of the issue. Abe is going to report to Trump that Japanese government has restarted construction of new base to maintain Japan-U.S. alliance.

Okinawa is located in the region closest to China. That is why both governments regard it as important for Japanese security. However, coercive measures to build new base fundamentally undermine public sentiment in Okinawa, possibly causing resentment against Japan. China must be closely watching what is going on there.