Congressman Dennis Kucinich’s Message of Solidarity with the Japanese People

日本語版は英文の下部に掲載
(Japanese version comes after the English version)

Statement of Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich
Message of Solidarity with the Japanese People
U.S. Military Bases in Japan
Sunday, April 25, 2010

Congressman Dennis Kucinich

The residents of Okinawa, Japan, have long expressed their opposition to the realignment of the U.S. military base in Okinawa. Earlier this year, their strong opposition was manifest in their recent overwhelming vote for Susumu Inamine as mayor–the candidate that campaigned on a promise that the U.S. military base would not be constructed in Nago.

Last week, I sent a letter to the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, expressing my concern over the plan to move the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Futenma, Okinawa, Japan to Nago. As the Marine Corps prepares to move their operations to Nago, completely absent from the discussion is the perspective of the local residents.

I believe that the election of Mayor Inamine was an important symbolic victory for the Okinawan people in their heroic struggle for the preservation of their environment and economic livelihood. The concerns of the residents of Okinawa must be taken into consideration – their strong opposition to the relocation of the military base, as well as the environmental and economic damage that would result from the construction of a new military base, cannot be brushed aside. The fragile coral reef that provides natural habitat for local marine life, as well as economic livelihood for local fisherman is at risk.

I will continue to support the efforts of the people of Okinawa to ensure that their concerns are heard in the Congress of the United States, and to advocate for the preservation of their land and environment.

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デニス・J・クシニッチ連邦下院議員声明

日本の人々への連帯メッセージ
在日米軍基地をめぐって
2010年4月25日

沖縄の人々は長い間、在沖米軍基地再編に反対を表明してきました。彼らのその強い意志は、本年初旬の稲嶺進氏を市長に選出した選挙での圧倒的な票に明らかです。稲嶺氏は名護市に米軍基地を建設しないとの公約で選挙運動した候補者です。

先週、私は米下院歳出委員会防衛小委員会の委員長に手紙を送り、普天間基地に駐留する米軍海兵隊の名護市への移転計画についての私の懸念を表明しました。海兵隊がその部隊を名護市へと移そうとするに際し、その議論には地元住民の視点がまったく存在していないのだ、と。

稲嶺市長の選出は、自分達の環境と暮らしを守ろうとする地元の人々の勇敢なる闘いにおける重要で象徴的な勝利でした。沖縄の人々の懸念が考慮されなければなりません。基地移転への彼らの強い反対、そして新たな軍事基地建設から生じるであろう環境上、経済上の損害を脇に押しやることはできません。その地の海洋生物に自然の生息地を提供してきた脆弱な珊瑚礁は、地元漁民の経済的基盤と共に脅かされています。

私は沖縄の人々の懸念が米国連邦議会の中に確実に伝わるよう沖縄の人々の闘いを支援し、彼らの土地と環境の擁護する努力を続けます。