Base protesters mark one-year anniversary of Henoko sit-in (Japan)

[struggle4progress]

By David Allen and Chiyomi Sumida, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, April 20, 2005



CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — About 450 residents gathered Sunday at Henoko to mark the one-year anniversary of their sit-in protesting construction of a new U.S. Marine base.

A spokesman said the group pledges to maintain its vigil until the project, an offshore airport to replace Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, is abandoned. A small group of protesters has camped out at the port; other protesters have used small boats aimed at blocking an environmental seabed survey in the area planned for the airport. They represent environmental and anti-military groups.

“Until the government gives up … we will continue to sit here and oppose … the project,” said Hiroshi Ashitomi, one of the organizers, according to Japanese press accounts of the event.

The protesters accused Japan’s government of refusing to discontinue the project despite mounting opposition. The Henoko site was selected in accord with a 1996 U.S.-Japanese agreement to reduce by 21 percent the Okinawa land U.S. forces use. U.S. bases now cover about a fifth of the island. <snip>

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=28538