Network to Close U.S. Military Bases in Okinawa, Japan

Look for Our Full-page Ad in The Washington Post on Wednesday, 4/28/10!

April 28, 2010 by Editor

JUCON/NO Ad in the Washington Post, 4/28/10

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 28, 2010

CONTACT: John Feffer, Institute for Policy Studies

johnf@ips-dc.org, 202-234-9382, cell: 510-282-8983

New U.S.-Japan coalition posts full-page ad in *The Washington Post*

Washington – April 28 – A full-page ad calling for the closure of the Futenma Marine Corps base and no base relocation within Okinawa prefecture has appeared in The Washington Post on April 28. This ad appears in the wake of the April 25 demonstration of nearly 100,000 Okinawans protesting the planned base relocation.

“Would You Want 30 Military Bases in Your Backyard?” reads the headline of the ad. “The new base would damage the health and safety of people and threaten a unique ecosystem that contains many rare species. This includes the Okinawan dugong, an endangered cousin of the manatee.”

The sponsors of the ad, the Network for Okinawa and the Japan-U.S. Citizens for Okinawa network, want to send a message to the Obama administration that a significant number of Americans support Okinawan concerns about the environmental and social consequences of U.S. military bases on the island. The ad challenges the prevailing consensus in Washington that the Futenma base is essential to U.S. national security.

The full-page ad coincides with a letter sent to President Obama and Prime Minister Hatoyama, signed by more than 500 organizations, that demands the immediate closure of Futenma and the cancellation of plans to relocate it to Henoko Bay. The letter can read at:

http://closethebase.org/2010/03/13/center-for-biological-diversity-sign-on-letter/

The full-page ad is the work of concerned U.S. and Japanese citizens who formed the Network for Okinawa (NO) and the Japan-U.S. Citizens for Okinawa Network (JUCON) earlier this year. JUCON  (http://jucon.exblog.jp/) is a coalition of Okinawa and Japan-based NGOs, citizens groups, journalists and prominent individuals. The Network for Okinawa (http://closethebase.org/). the US-based NGOs, draws together representatives from peace groups, environmental organizations, faith-based organizations, academia, and think tanks. It is sponsored by the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington. Members include: American Conservative Defense Alliance, American Friends Service Committee, Center for Biological Diversity, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Greenpeace, Institute for Policy Studies, Just Foreign Policy,Pax Christi USA, the United Methodist Chuch, Veterans for Peace, and Women for Genuine Security.

Members of the Network for Okinawa available for interviews:

• Peter Galvin, Center for Biological Diversity.
pgalvin@biologicaldiversity.org; 520-907-1533.

• Kyle Kajihiro, Program Director, American Friends Service Committee
- Hawai’i Area Office. kyle.kajihiro@gmail.com; O: 808-988-6266; C:
808-542-3668.

• John Lindsay-Poland, Director, Fellowship of Reconciliation Latin
America program, Oakland, California, is active in the global No Bases
network and author of Emperors in the Jungle: The Hidden History of
the US in Panama (Duke). johnlp@igc.org; C: 510-282-8983.

• Doug Bandow, Robert A. Taft Fellow, American Conservative Defense
Alliance and former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan.
ChessSet@aol.com; 703-451-9169.

• Ann Wright, Retired Army Colonel, former US. Diplomat.
microann@yahoo.com; C: 808-741-1141.

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  • paulintokyo

    We must call attention to the fact that bases ANYWHERE in Japan must leave, that the AMPO treaty does NOT protect the country, that the mass media uses the so-called threat of China and North Korea as a means of suppressing a full discussion on the taboo subject of Ampo. Millions of people in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan died because US planes carrying Napalm, Agent Orange and Depleted Uranium took off from US bases in Japan. Japanese taxes are helping to kill people. We must make that clear. Hatoyama and company are subservient to the U.S. and they will deceive the people of Okinawa. No bases there, or anywhere in Japan or the rest of the world. Safety can never be assured by military means.

  • Pingback: Okinawa solidarity groups publish a full-page ad in the Washington Post : DMZ Hawai'i / Aloha 'Aina

  • http://www.yplatehater.com Y Plate Hater

    This is about more than just the number of bases on Okinawa, it's also about the crimes committed by US military members and their families here. Things like running over people and running away, stealing money from taxi cabs, and raping 14 year old girls. For a running list of crimes committed by military members on Okinawa, visit yplatehater.com

  • umekojapan

    NO US BASES IN JAPAN !

  • Pingback: John Feffer: Okinawa Base Issue: Full-Page Ad in Washington Post | Finances2u.com

  • Pingback: John Feffer: Okinawa Base Issue: Full-Page Ad in Washington Post | Blog News Web - Updated Every Minute

  • http://www.yplatehater.com Y Plate Hater

    Yes. Realism is good and appreciated. Here is another “realist” point of view:
    Okinawa would still have fishing, farming, and tourism. The reliance on the military people here would have an impact if removed of course, same thing happened every time they closed a base in the USA, however, Okinawa would recover. Okinawa was doing just fine before the foreign occupation, and would do just fine without it. We're flexible. Better sooner than later that we get back to basics and stop receiving income from people we don't even want here.
    There IS a solution that would make nearly everyone happy:
    I don't want to repeat the entire thing here, however, make Okinawa a 2 year hardship tour and give return plane tickets for visitation to the military members who are stationed here. Entire article here: http://www.yplatehater.com/2006/03/23/my-soluti…
    Just read the site. There are many solutions to this issue, but nobody ever talks to the locals. Check the rest of the site for local reasoning.

    Tell you what. Have Obama and/or Hatoyama-san email me at yplatehater@yplatehater.com for a direct consultation. Everyone else is afraid to talk strait. I am not.

  • realist

    Yes, there are crimes by military, civilians, and dependants. Yes, the planes are loud.

    Let’s be stupid and say all military personnel, civilians, dependants leave Okinawa. What else does Okinawa have? No big company would move here to take up the economic hole that would happen. Everyone knows there are no jobs in Okinawa. That’s why so many Okinawans leave and go to Japan for work. Sure 90,000 people did protest. For all those opposed I would like to ask. What would you tell the landlords, housing, electric, gas, water, trash companies etc…When there biggest customer is gone. All 1,385,725 of Okinawa residents would feel the effect. Should 6.5% be the voice of Okinawa. What do you say to the 1,295,725 residents of Okinawa!!!!

    Okinawa would have nothing but beaches. I am just a realist

  • realist

    You are indeed humorous “Y Plate” As stated before… Yes, there are crimes by military, civilians, and dependants. There is no need to back and forth about crimes.

    Anyway farming and fishing. Who would do that? No sorry how would you do that? To be fair i do get you point it would recover just as any other place would. To compare Okinawa to the States is a gross miscalculation. You are blind to the simple fact that it would not recover. Is Japan suppose to move the JASDAF here. If they were to leave. Is a factory going to come here to offset the millions of dollars that are being used each month!!!

    To what extent. You tell me the great no base plan and what would suffice for the needs of the greater whole. To simply think no base is selfish. Roughly 346,431 residents would say they same about your comments.

    I am not for the base but you are getting the lesser of 2 evils with them being here.

  • Pingback: Okinawa Base Issue: Full-Page Ad in Washington Post : DMZ Hawai'i / Aloha 'Aina

  • cowboy

    I guess you are not familiar with Okinawa's economic development.
    yes, the military bases do contribute much to the economy both directly and indirectly, yet its share of overall percentage to the Okinawan economy has been steadily declining.

    Areas that were former bases such as Shintoshin, has been transformed into a bustling commercial district.

    If you read any of the Okinawa Development Plans, especially those of Okinawan economists such as Hiroshi Kakazu, there are numerous plans on how to utilize former base areas for other commercial activities, such as utilizing Okinawa's geographical proximity between Japan, China and Taiwan, entrepot activities, such as those commonly used in small islands that lack resources, i.e. Singapore, Johor-Riau, etc. These plans however, would depend on how much economic autonomy Tokyo will allow Okinawa, which may be difficult given how centralized the Japanese state is.

  • Pingback: Would You Want 30 Military Bases In Your Backyard? | Japan Probe

  • http://twitter.com/naranoryusan Ishizawa　ryuichi

    “Would You Want 30 Military Bases in Your Backyard?” reads the headline of the ad. “The new base would damage the health and safety of people and threaten a unique ecosystem that contains many rare species. This includes the Okinawan dugong, an endangered cousin of the manatee.”

  • http://twitter.com/naranoryusan Ishizawa　ryuichi

    “Would You Want 30 Military Bases in Your Backyard?” reads the headline of the ad. “The new base would damage the health and safety of people and threaten a unique ecosystem that contains many rare species. This includes the Okinawan dugong, an endangered cousin of the manatee.”

  • Murphycsm

    Have you forgotten how the Japanese treated the people of okinawa during WWII? What percentage of service members have committed crimes against okinawa? How can you make such broad statements. I was stationed in Okinawa for 2 years and had nothing but respect for native citizens. The U.S. Military has definately treated Okinawans better than Japan in the past. Maybe you should review history before you start calling people terrorists considering that the Japanese made one of the most cowardly and discraceful military acts in history at pearl harbor. The japanese killed unarmed okinawan women and children by the masses. The U.S. Military liberated them from the oppressive grip of the japanese military. Maybe a thank you is in order! Of course after the war Okinawa was given the opportunity to form their own country but decided the wanted to be a part of the Japan. I think that your accusations are rude and ignorrant. After a war terms of surrender are signed. You act like americans are the only people committing crime on the island! You speak as though the Military is so horrible to okinawans. How dare you! If it was up to me I would surrender all u.s. service members that commit crime to the okinawans to be criminally charged by the japanese. It is stupid for you to allow the actions of few tarnish your ideas about all military members with with nothing but respect, good intentions and a desire to do their job. At least in America we don’t treat people of other nationalities like outsiders. The members of the U.S. military don’t decide where they go, they follow orders and try to make the best of their situation. I appoligize if my previous stay in Okinawa somehow offended you and hope that you can understand that many americans have nothing but love for Okinawa.