Okinawans encircle U.S. base

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A few of the thousands of anti-base protesters at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma hold hands Sunday in front of the base sign. The organizers of the event claimed success on two of three attempts to join hands around the eight-mile fence line, symbolically closing the controversial base.


Okinawans encircle U.S. base
By David Allen and Chiyomi Sumida, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Tuesday, May 18, 2010

GINOWAN, Okinawa — Heavy rains did not deter an estimated 17,000 Okinawans from encircling Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on Sunday in a symbolic closing of the controversial base.

Organizers of the event, who timed it to commemorate the 38th anniversary of Japan reassuming control of Okinawa from the U.S., claimed success on two of three attempts to join hands around the eight-mile fence line. Organizers estimated that there were 17,000 participants; Okinawa police did not release an official estimate of the crowd size.

Meanwhile, the Sankei Shimbun reported Sunday that Japanese officials are hinting negotiations over where to move the Marine air units could stretch out over the next six months.

The weekend protests came before Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s scheduled stop Friday in Tokyo for talks with Japan Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada on Futenma. According to the State Department, she will stop in Japan on her way to attend the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing.

But not everyone in the vicinity was against the base. At times Ginowan Mayor Yoichi Iha’s speech was drowned out by martial music and propaganda broadcast from several vans belonging to pro-military and right wing groups.

[Lint Head]

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