June 3, 2010

The mayor went on to say: “Over the Futenma base issue, Okinawans are in the depths of despair, and their anger is reaching a peak. The prime minister’s resignation will not settle the issue. People thought that the change of government last year could improve the situation in Okinawa. What on earth did the change of government accomplish?”

Okubo Akira, Isen Town mayor of Tokunoshima Island in Kagoshima, the relocation site for training exercises now conducted at the Futenma base, on the same day commented on the prime minister’s resignation, as follows: “The Japan-U.S. joint agreement will be taken over by the next government. Our town will continue to protest against the relocation. The prime minister, who has lost the people’s trust, has no choice but to resign.”
-Akahata, June 3, 2010