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2025 October 8 - 14 [POLITICS]

Defense minister brands Okinawans’ protest against SDF drills as radical act of sabotage

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

Defense Minister Nakatani Gen at a press conference on September 19 called Okinawans’ protests against the Self-Defense Forces’ military exercises “radical protests and acts of sabotage”.

Following this, Okinawan local newspapers criticized Nakatani’s remark for denying the freedom of speech guaranteed under the Constitution, and a group of 121 lawyers on October 3 issued a statement condemning Nakatani for his intent to suppress speech.

When local residents had demanded the cancellation of the Ground SDF’s performance in the annual island-wide traditional dance (Eisa) event, Zento Eisa Festival (September 12-14), Liberal Democratic Party Okinawa Prefectural Assemblypersons blamed the demand as discrimination against SDF members.

A sense of uneasiness and crisis is growing among Okinawans because under the national government policy that assumes a possible “Taiwan contingency” arising, the deployment of missiles is being forced on the Nansei Islands and the SDF’s military exercises have become routine.

The lawyers’ statement pointed out, “Nakatani and LDP prefectural assemblymembers targeted local residents’ protests and expressions of opposition. If this issue is left unaddressed as a merely ‘Okinawan problem’, this will lead to a situation in which anti-war and other dissenting activities can also be suppressed across the nation as ‘sabotage’ and ‘discrimination.’” The statement warned that the freedom of expression and popular sovereignty will then be at risk of being undermined.

The Defense Ministry and the SDF should listen sincerely to the voices of Okinawans and review their stance.