May 15 & 16, 2022

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan from U.S. rule on May 15, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo issued a comment showing that the JCP will stand firm in opposing the Kishida government refusal to consider Okinawans’ demand for an Okinawa without military bases.

In his comment, Shii noted that 50 years ago, the then head of the Ryukyu government, Yara Chobyo, submitted to the Japanese government a proposal for a vision of the future Okinawa. He said as stated in the proposal, Okinawans at that time hoped ardently that with the reversion to Japan, their basic human rights would be protected under the pacifist Constitution and an Okinawa without military bases would be realized. However, Shii added, “Even now, Okinawans are still living under heavy U.S. base burdens. Accidents and crimes committed by U.S. military personnel frequently occur, and abuses of the Okinawans' right to live in peace and their basic human rights continue.”

In addition, Shii pointed out that the Prime Minister Kishida-led government, in disregard of Okinawans’ hopes and aspirations indicated in the Yara Proposal, is going ahead despite the opposition with the construction of a new U.S. base in Henoko and intends to revise the pacifist Constitution which played a role as a beacon of Okinawan’s hopes during the reversion movement. Shii said that the JCP will stand firm to prevent the Kishida government from carrying out such adverse acts.

Furthermore, Shii cited that Okinawa Governor Tamaki Denny in the runup to the 50th anniversary of its reversion to Japan submitted to Tokyo a proposal calling for the realization of four demands which include a drastic revision of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement and the abandonment of the Henoko base construction. He said that the Kishida administration should take this proposal seriously and work hard to realize it.

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On this day, a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan co-hosted online by the central and the Okinawa prefectural governments took place in Tokyo and Okinawa. JCP Chair Shii Kazuo and JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira attended the ceremony in Tokyo.