Why Was the “Aha District Residents’ Assembly” Swayed So Quickly?

Recent developments concerning the relocation of the Marine Corps’ Futenma Air Station to the village of Kunigami in the Aha district are shameful, heartbreaking and completely intolerable.

The mountain range surrounding Aha is a treasure trove of biodiversity. The clear stream of the Aha River, whose source lies on Mt. Yonaha, flows through the district into the Pacific Ocean. The flora of Tanaga-gumui, a state-designated natural monument, and the communities of heritiera littoralis, designated a natural monument by the prefecture, are a true delight for the eyes. Its ecosystem, with an abundance of flora and fauna, is said to be the greatest on the Okinawan main island.

It is downright mortifying to see how the inhabitants of Aha district, who grew up with strong bonds to the protection of their homeland and its nature, have been betrayed and divided by illogical arguments. Advocates of the relocation are tempting citizens with unfounded promises of “compensations worth 10 million yen (approx. $124,410) for each household.” When the Japanese and U.S. governments were discussing the Henoko plan, similar stories of “XYZ yen per household” were floating around. It is unclear who circulated those rumors.

It’s always the same story. Whether the problem is an airbase or a nuclear power plant, the same type of rhetoric is brought forward every single time.

At the district residents’ meeting, a vote was held regarding “negotiations with the government toward accepting the proposal.” Out of a total of 125 votes cast, 75 people voted in support of the plan, and 50 people opposed. Of those 125 people, however, 37 voted by proxy; almost all of them voted in favor.

If you spend ample time discussing something to exhaustion and opinions nevertheless remain intensely divided, it is common practice to let go of the issue eventually. But not in this case. It seems that the vote was calculated to be held in time for the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee (the “2 plus 2” meeting), which is scheduled to take place on the 21st.

It is worrying to consider how such a hasty approach might damage the regional democracy and the characteristic system of decision-making, which are integral to the local community.

The locals have also been voicing doubts about the fact that most of the 37 proxy voters favored the proposal. Entering negotiations with the government about the acceptance of the airbase based on these vote results would, frankly, be an excessively forced decision.

Kaoru Miyagi, the mayor of Kunigami, is vehement in his opposition to the relocation. Before cooperating with the government, ward headman Toshiyo Shibui should first discuss the issue with the village authorities.

What are the sources of the data and figures quoted by supporters of the plan? They will need to be disclosed to all residents of the district. Once this is understood, all the relevant facts must be established through a written inquiry. Before supporters and opposition can form impartial opinions, they need to have access to specialized information as well as contrary data. In this context, the legal aspects of the relocation issue are the most crucial element and must not be ignored.

Naoto Kan’s government is in a precarious situation, and post-Kan administrations will also be at a loss. The current government is unable to bring any order into the complicated and messy Futenma issue.

With a political state of affairs such as this, it is absolutely incomprehensible how anyone could decide to announce the acceptance of Futenma in time for the Security Consultative Committee. Who on earth suggested this?

All this may send out the wrong message to the people: “Okinawa is all about the money.” For Okinawa, this is a major loss. Do not forget the standpoint of the prefecture as a whole.