Okinawans end 3-day protest against US bases

By Shunji Nozawa and Shinichi Kanzaki, Mainichi Shimbun, Sunday 16 May 1999

NAHA—Some 4,000 people calling for an Okinawa free of military bases ended a three-day march on Saturday, as the Okinawa Prefecture marked the 27th anniversary of its reversion to Japan.

Over the course of the annual march—the 22nd of its kind—participants, including those from outside the prefecture, called for the return of land currently occupied by U.S. military bases and voiced opposition to a set of bills enabling wider Japan-U.S. defense cooperation. The bills are expected to pass into law during the current Diet session.

We have only come halfway in settling issues concerning Okinawa, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka told reporters on Friday.

Nonaka nevertheless pointed out that the economic gap between Okinawa and other prefectures has been reduced by cash injections totaling more than 5 trillion yen, paid for out of state coffers, as well as through the efforts of Okinawans since the prefecture was returned from the United States to Japan in 1972.

He also told reporters that the government will make utmost efforts in addressing such issues as the integration and reduction of the U.S. military bases, as well as planning on medium- and long-term strategies to promote the prefecture's economy.

Okinawa Gov. Keiichi Inamine, meanwhile, said this year marks a new start for Okinawa to be an economically independent prefecture, and that the prefectural government would try to settle issues involving U.S. bases and promote the economy.

During World War II, Okinawa was the only prefecture in the nation to witness ground warfare. More than 200,000 soldiers and civilians were killed. Of that number, some took their own lives in fear of the approaching U.S. forces.

In June 1995, stone monuments were created in a peace memorial park in the city of Itoman, commemorating the names of victims of the battles of Okinawa regardless of their nationality or birthplace.