 Drilling survey for a new base forcibly conducted Disregarding residents' strong opposition, the government started a drilling survey on September 9 in preparation for the construction of a new U.S. military base in the sea off the Henoko District of Nago City. About 500 residents staged protests from boats as well as from the beach. Survey vessels of the Naha Regional Defense Facilities Administration Bureau left a port 50 kilometers away from the Henoko fishing port where many protesters were poised to block the survey. Some residents in fishing boats and canoes dashed out to the sea to persuade the authority's employees to stop conducting the survey. Unable to carry out the day's mission, the survey vessels pulled back two and a half hours later only placing a buoy to mark the drilling site. The residents, including JCP member of the House of Representatives Akamine Seiken, assembled at the Henoko fishing port in protest against the survey. A resident said, "Because they knew that they were ignoring residents' sentiments, they could only use underhanded methods." The next day, survey boats left U.S. Camp Schwab and returned there after the day's drilling work in order to avoid an encounter with protesters. (end) |