100,000 Okinawans protest against US airbase
Source: Agencies |
April 26, 2010, Monday
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NEARLY 100,000 people rallied on Okinawa yesterday to demand a United States airbase be moved off the Japanese island, deepening the prime minister's woes as he struggles to resolve the base's future with the US by a self-imposed deadline of May 30.
Perception that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has mishandled dealings over the US Marines' Futenma airbase on Okinawa, a reluctant host to the bulk of US forces in Japan, is eroding support for his government as a key upper house election approaches.
Hatoyama's Democratic Party, which swept to power in a general election last year, needs a decisive victory in the upper house poll, expected in July, to enact legislation smoothly.
Some, even within Hatoyama's own party, say failure to resolve the base's future by his deadline could force him to resign before the election.
Crowds of residents, many wearing yellow as a symbol of protest, gathered in the town of Yomitan on Okinawa a day after a US newspaper said Tokyo was moving toward broadly accepting a 2006 deal to relocate Futenma's functions from the center of a city to a less populous part of the island.
More than 90,000 people, including representatives of all major parties, took part in the rally, Kyodo news agency said.
"To save the life, property and living environment of citizens, we Okinawans urge both Japanese and US governments to give up the relocation of the Futenma airfield within the prefecture," Kyodo quoted a resolution adopted at the rally.
Hatoyama, who has said any new plan must win local understanding as well as satisfy the US, on Saturday repeated his objection to the original 2006 plan.
In the campaign that swept his Democratic Party to power last year, Hatoyama had raised hopes the airbase would be moved off Okinawa, if not outside Japan entirely.
Support for Hatoyama's government has fallen to around 30 percent from above 70 percent, on growing doubts over his decision-making skills.
Perception that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has mishandled dealings over the US Marines' Futenma airbase on Okinawa, a reluctant host to the bulk of US forces in Japan, is eroding support for his government as a key upper house election approaches.
Hatoyama's Democratic Party, which swept to power in a general election last year, needs a decisive victory in the upper house poll, expected in July, to enact legislation smoothly.
Some, even within Hatoyama's own party, say failure to resolve the base's future by his deadline could force him to resign before the election.
Crowds of residents, many wearing yellow as a symbol of protest, gathered in the town of Yomitan on Okinawa a day after a US newspaper said Tokyo was moving toward broadly accepting a 2006 deal to relocate Futenma's functions from the center of a city to a less populous part of the island.
More than 90,000 people, including representatives of all major parties, took part in the rally, Kyodo news agency said.
"To save the life, property and living environment of citizens, we Okinawans urge both Japanese and US governments to give up the relocation of the Futenma airfield within the prefecture," Kyodo quoted a resolution adopted at the rally.
Hatoyama, who has said any new plan must win local understanding as well as satisfy the US, on Saturday repeated his objection to the original 2006 plan.
In the campaign that swept his Democratic Party to power last year, Hatoyama had raised hopes the airbase would be moved off Okinawa, if not outside Japan entirely.
Support for Hatoyama's government has fallen to around 30 percent from above 70 percent, on growing doubts over his decision-making skills.
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