Local papers urge government to respect Nago’s election result

Japan Press Weekly

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Local papers urge government to respect Nago’s election result

In response to the victory of anti-base candidate Inamine Susumu in the January 24 mayoral election in Okinawa’s Nago City, many local newspapers in their editorials have called on the Hatoyama Cabinet to respect residents’ opposition to the construction plan of a new U.S. base in Nago’s Henoko district.

Iwate Nippo stated, “The Hatoyama Cabinet must sincerely respond to the residents’ will expressed in the latest election. At the same time, the result indicates that the relocation of the Futenma base to the shoreline of U.S. Camp Schwab in Henoko, the plan that the U.S. side calls on Japan to swiftly carry out, has lost local support.”

The Hokkaido Shimbun criticized Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirano Hirofumi for making the remark that the election result does not need to be considered, stating, “It is a problem if he is saying that the election result has no relation to the government stance regarding the revision of the relocation plan.” It added that the election result “illustrates the contradictions and limitations of the long-term security policy which has forced Okinawa to shoulder heavy base burdens.”

The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun stressed, “If the election result is taken seriously, it is reasonable to expect that the government will exclude the shoreline of U.S. Camp Schwab as a possible relocation site.” It warned that if the Hatoyama Cabinet neglects the election result, its public approval rating will fall even further.

Concerning the several optional sites for relocation of the Futenma base raised by the government, The Chugoku Shimbun pointed out, “Negotiating with local governments will not achieve a fundamental solution to the issue.”

“The necessity for the U.S. Marine Corps at the Futenma base to continue to stay in Okinawa is not clear,” wrote by Okinawa Times, which also stressed, “The U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa are not here most of the time since they are dispatched to battle fields in Iraq and Afghanistan. The government’s explanation that their presence is significant as deterrence is not appropriate,” and, “The terms used to perpetuate U.S. bases in Okinawa, such as ‘deterrence’ and ‘geographical superiority’ are empty of meaning.”

It went on to say, “The concentration of U.S. bases in Okinawa has no parallel in the world, showing the government’s irresponsible base administration,” “In its own country, would the U.S. government ignore local opposition and forcibly impose base construction? Would it eliminate Okinawa from imposing freedom and democracy, the values that allies should share?”

- Akahata, January 27, 2010