Communist Web Saturday 8th April 2000 9.30pm gmt Okinawa: the people say close US bases In search of a safe place free of protests and the glare of the world media, the Group of Eight major capitalist countries will hold a summit in July this year in Okinawa, Japan. Known as the Military Base Island, Okinawa is effectively occupied by the US military through the Japan-US Security Treaty. It is no coincidence that representatives of the world's most powerful capitalist governments chose to shelter there during their deliberations. The following is an examination by the Japanese Communist Party of the history and current situation in Okinawa. Until the outbreak of the Second World War, Okinawa was a peaceful island without even Japanese military forces stationed there. The only thing relating to the military was a conscription office with a commander and a few staff members. Without military bases the people of Okinawa lived in peace and had friendly relations with their Asian neighbours. It was only in 1944 when Japan's defeat became imminent and the Japanese Government decided to make Okinawa the place for final "decisive battles" that military forces were stationed there on a full scale. With the defeat of Japan the stationing of military forces in Okinawa should have been put to an end. However, present-day Okinawa is so overcrowded with US military bases and facilities that it is said: "The bases are not in Okinawa. Okinawa is among military bases." Stepping onto Okinawa you will realise that this description is not an exaggeration. Eleven percent of the land area of Okinawa Prefecture is occupied by US bases. This figure goes up to 20 percent in the Okinawa mainland. In the island prefecture of 1.3 million people, 27,000 US troops are stationed. Nowhere in Europe can you find a country with such a province or state. Moreover, these US bases in Okinawa are situated right in the midst of very populated areas. For example, Kadena Air Base takes up 83 percent of the land area of Kadena Town, forcing more than 10,000 residents to live on the remaining 17 percent of land. The town residents' houses, schools, hospitals and other facilities are squeezed in the small areas within only several hundred metres of the base's aircraft runways. Such a situation is not limited to Kadena. There are another two towns, Kin Town and Chatan Town, and the Ginoza Village, which have over 50 percent of their land taken up by US bases. And there are five more municipalities where more than 30 percent of their land is taken (Yomitan Village, Higashi Village, Okinawa City, Ie Village and Ginowan City). How has Okinawa been brought to such a situation? What kind of problems do the people of... http://www.billkath.demon.co.uk/cw/okinawa/okinawa.html
