City rejects Okinawa base vote

NAHA: A city assembly i n Okinawa endorsed a statement yesterday opposing a plan to hold a prefectural referendum on the controversial relocation of a US air base, saying the vote may not properly reflect the people’s will.

The move by the assembly of the city of Ginowan, which hosts US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, came after another city assembly adopted a similar statement, making it uncertain whether the Feb 24 referendum will take place in all municipalities in the prefecture, as hoped by Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki.

Mr Tamaki, who was elected in September on the platform of rejecting the planned relocation of the Futenma base to another part of the prefecture, is hoping the referendum will further demonstrate Okinawa’s opposition to the plan.

In the statement addressed to Mr Tamaki, the Ginowan city assembly said the referendum “lacks consideration” in showing that local people have various opinions on the issue, touching on the fact that voters will only be allowed to cast “yes” or “no” votes on the relocation plan.

It also criticised the planned referendum for not taking into consideration the feelings of the residents of Ginowan, who have long struggled with safety issues and noise pollution associated with the Futenma base.

Although the Japanese and US government agreed in 1996 on the return of the land used for the Futenma base, the base has yet to be relocated as the Okinawa government has resisted the central government’s plan to move it to the less populated coastal district of Henoko in Nago, also in Okinawa.

“There is no clear reference to the removal of the dangers” posed by the Futenma base that sits in the middle of the city, the Ginowan city assembly said in the statement.

The assembly also criticised the referendum as a waste of taxpayers’ money when Mr Tamaki is already insisting that Okinawa’s objection to the relocation plan was demonstrated in the last gubernatorial election.

Many residents of Okinawa, which hosts the bulk of US military forces in Japan, want the Futenma base to be moved outside the prefecture.

The central government plans to start full-fledged land reclamation work in the Henoko coastal area on Dec 14 for the construction of the new base.

KYODO This aerial photo shows US Marine Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan, that has yet to be relocated despite a 1996 agreement between Japan and the United States.