Stop the urban counter insurgency training facility for U.S. Green Beret in Okinawa

The Japanese Communist Party in the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly on November 20 requested that the Okinawa Prefectural Government oppose the planned construction of a new U.S. anti-urban guerrilla warfare training facility in Okinawa.

Hokama Hisako, the leader of the JCP Prefectural Assembly Members Group, visited the prefectural governor's office and said, "The prefectural government should express its opposition to the construction plan on the grounds that it will pave the way for further strengthening U.S. military base functions."

The plan came to be known following its notification by the U.S. Forces in Japan to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

The new facility will be constructed next year for U.S. Army special forces (Green Berets) on a firing range in U.S. Marine Corps Camp Hansen.

The U.S. Forces have explained that a new facility is necessary because the existing training facility on another firing range in U.S. Camp Hansen is out of date.

Okinawa Governor Inamine Keiichi on November 20 expressed concern that the construction of such a facility "may lead to the perpetuation of the military base and impose greater burdens on Okinawans." (end)