Resolution to make the best use of Japan’s war-renouncing Constitution, and to request the removal of military bases
On May 28, 2010 the governments of Japan and the United States issued a joint statement outlining the relocation of the Futenma base in Ginowan City to Cape Henoko and the adjoining waters near Camp Schwab in Nago City, Okinawa.
Strong anger was the response to the Democratic Party breaking its election campaign pledge. We also note that it amounted to crushing the will of the people as expressed by the 90,000 that gathered in the prefectural rally on April 25, 2010 in Yomitan Village, Okinawa. The strong reaction to the decision drove Prime Minister Hatoyama to resign from his post.
We strongly request the withdrawal of this joint statement confirming the mutual agreement between Japan and the United States. The Futenma base is located on land that was illegally looted, and should not only be returned, but all installations should be removed.
The Relocation of Futenma is an issue that emerged after the abduction and rape of a 12 year old schoolgirl by 3 U.S. Marines in September 1995. After news of this surfaced, some 85,000 people gathered in a massive protest in October 1995 stating that the base in the city could no longer be endured. At that point, both the Japanese and the U.S. governments were frightened by the anger in Okinawa. In December 1996, they issued a report claiming that the Futenma base would be returned, and the Henoko coastal area of Nago City was chosen as a “replacement facility” were a new military installation would be constructed. This location was already under consideration by the U.S. Navy in 1960. It is now again seen as part of the U.S. military reorganization.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and the U.S. We take this opportunity to request that the Japanese government should annul and scrap the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and the Japan-U.S. Status-of-Forces Agreement. The reason is that military bases are no longer necessary anywhere.
We thus resolve to make the best use of Japan’s war-renouncing Constitution, and build true peace with all the people in the world, to remove and dismantle the military bases.
Resolution adopted by the participants at the 37th general meeting of Consumers Union of Japan
June 6, 2010