Peace Caravan against new U.S. base in Okinawa parades in Osaka

The Peace Caravan on a national tour calling for, "No new U.S. base in Okinawa" and "Save the rare species of dugong," on April 7 carried out a parade in the largest major streets of Osaka.

Over 500 citizens took part in the parade, together with three representatives from Okinawa, including Toguchi Yutoku, former Nago City mayor. Playing lively folk music of Okinawa, and holding a big stuffed dugong and many colorful balloons, the march attracted the attention of passers-by.

They shouted, "A 2,000-meter runway for an on-sea new base will be more than enough to kill dugongs," and "We demand reduction/withdrawal of the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa."

Uchima Hitoshi, member of medical association in Okinawa, stressed that "Okinawa wants for voices of 'No' to spread throughout Japan to the unjustifiable demand to construct a U.S. new base." Miyamoto Takeshi, Japanese Communist Party House of Councilors member, also took the microphone and spoke out.

The Peace Caravan left Nago City in Okinawa on March 10, then via the Kyushu region, entered Honshu, Japan's main island, on March 25.

At each stop in major cities, such as Nagasaki and Fukuoka, participants visited local government offices to exchange views, collect signatures, march in demonstration, and hold rallies. (end)