March 18, 2026

The anti-base “All Okinawa Council” on March 17 at a press conference in Naha City announced that activities to oppose the construction of a new U.S. base in Nago’s Henoko will be temporarily suspended to mourn the victims of the protest boat capsizing accident.

The incident occurred on March 16. Two boats which were usually used in on-sea protests against the new U.S. base construction project capsized off the coast of Henoko, resulting in two deaths, a female high school student and the male captain of one of the boats. The boats carried a group of high school students who visited Henoko as part of their peace education trip.

At the press conference, All Okinawa Council Secretary General Fukumoto Yuji offered an apology for the tragic boating incident. He said that the anti-base council will halt the following activities until the end of March: a sit-in protest in front of the main gate of the U.S. Camp Schwab adjoining the new base construction site and demonstrations at sites used for the transportation of sand for the new base construction. In addition, he announced that on-sea protest actions will also be suspended until thorough safety measures are taken.

Japanese Communist Party member Akamine Seiken, a former House of Representatives lawmaker, attended the press conference as an advisor to the council.