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Statements Archive |
LAST UPDATE
November 3, 2005
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| October 28, 2005 |
Peace Boat Statement Against the Agreement on Realignment of U.S. forces in Japan |
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Regarding the agreement between Japan and the US to relocate the US Marine Corp’s Futenma Air Base to Henoko, Nago City, resulting from Japan-US talks on realignment of US Forces in Japan, we, Peace Boat, strongly demand both governments to halt the planning and construction of new US Military bases in Henoko and other areas. We also demand the immediate closure of the Futenma Air Base, based on the danger of war created by the presence of a US Military base as well as damage caused to local communities and environment from base operations and numerous accidents such as helicopter crashes.
Local residents have clearly demanded that there be no new construction of US Military bases by overwhelming majority in a local referendum on the issue held in Nago city in 1997. Various international organizations, including the United Nations Environmental Program, have voiced concerns that base construction at Henoko would endanger the most important remaining habitat of the Dugong in Japan. It is blatantly obvious that the agreement between the Japanese and US governments to construct the base at Henoko is irrational and absurd, contrary to democratic principles, ignoring the will of local communities, disregarding international concern and posing reckless environmental endangerment.
60 years since the end of WWII, we, the people of Japan, should remind ourselves of the war which caused the death of over 20 million people in Asia, including 3 million in Japan. Watching with disgust what is happening in Iraq, it is obvious that a newly constructed base at Henoko will be used in the killing of innocent people. The current LDP-dominated government is pushing to develop deeper military ties with the US and re-militarize Japan. If this trend continues, current tension and fear among East Asian peoples and nations will increase, causing the dangerous arms race to intensify, further opening the path to war.
As global citizens aspiring to everlasting peace, we renounce all forms of war and violence. In unity with people around the world who are working to realize a more peaceful world where people and nature can live in harmony, we assert our utmost opposition to the planned construction of the US Military base at Henoko as part of the realignment of US forces in Japan.
October 26th, 2005
Daini Nakahara
Executive Committee
Peace Boat
For more information or inquiries regarding this statement please contact the following:
Daini Nakahara or Asato Morita at Peace Boat Office
Tel:03-3363-7561/Fax:03-3363-7562/E-mail: tokyo[a]peaceboat.gr.jp |
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