December 13, 2025

Three civil groups in Okinawa tackling U.S. base-related issues on December 12 met with Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira in the Diet building, calling on the JCP to make efforts for an early resolution to the issue of harmful per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) contamination suspected to originate from U.S. bases.

Along with Koike, JCP member of the House of Representatives Akamine Seiken and JCP member of the House of Councillors Nihi Sohei attended the meeting.

The three groups pointed out that the central government has turned its back on the prefectural government’s demand for financial support for a 1.6-billion yen cost for replacing granular activated carbon filters needed to clean up water contaminated with PFAS believed to have leaked from the U.S. Kadena base (Chatan Town).

Machida Naomi, who heads one of the three groups, Ginowan Churamizu Kai (society working to maintain clean water in Ginowan City), stressed, “Okinawans are angry about the national government’s irresponsible attitude.” She requested the JCP to push the national government to accept Okinawans’ demands including the realization of on-site investigations by the prefectural government at U.S. bases, the provision of permanent financial support for PFAS countermeasures, and a state-funded PFAS blood test for all residents.

The secretary general of another civil group, Liaison to Protect the Lives of Citizens Against PFAS Contamination, Takahashi Toshio, noted that following the detection of PFAS levels exceeding Japan’s provisional standard in a drinking water well at the U.S. Camp Kue in Chatan Town, the U.S. military has made a water supply service request to the prefectural and town governments. He appealed for the need to conduct a survey and to begin decontamination work without delay.

Koike criticized the Japanese and U.S. governments for failing to fulfil their responsibility to tackle the PFAS contamination issue which poses a threat to Okinawan lives. He said in an enthusiastic tone, “In order to resolve the issue fundamentally, it is vital to realize an Okinawa free from U.S. bases. The JCP will work hard in the Diet to achieve this.”