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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Nago residents protest against base construction agreement

In Nago City, about 40 representatives of residentsﾕ groups that oppose a new U.S. base met with the deputy mayor on April 10 at the municipal office and urged the city to cancel the new agreement that it made with the government to build a U.S. base on the shoreline of the city.

Onishi Teruo, chair of the Nago Council against the Construction of the U.S. On-Sea Heliport, criticized Mayor Shimabukuro Yoshikazu for breaking his election pledge to oppose the ﾒshorelineﾓ plan, saying, ﾒIt is outrageous for the mayor to conclude the ﾔnew shorelineﾕ agreement in disregard of the wishes of residents.ﾓ He stressed that the agreement is ﾒthe worstﾓ because it will drastically expand the size and function of the base from the governmentﾕs original plan.

Association for Life representative Kinjo Yuji said, ﾒThe agreement ignores residentsﾕ wishes. It is tantamount to treating us as mere worms.ﾓ

In response to an argument of the government and the city that the U.S. aircraft will not fly over residential areas, the participants said that the situations at the U.S. Futenma Air Station and the U.S. Kadena Air Base in Okinawa clearly indicate that the U.S. forces do not abide by agreements on the use of bases.
- Akahata, April 11, 2006