News
Creating a Martian landscape
The Ogimi coast, until recently the scene of rearguard attempts to save the breeding grounds of the green sea and loggerhead turtles which laid their eggs on the village's beaches, is currently being ruthlessly crushed under landfill.
The area, which was described in last year's Earth Report propgramme as under threat is being rapidly sealed under thousands of tons of earth removed from a site a few kilometres away, where another unnecessary and enviroronmentally destructive project , Taiho Dam, is currently under construction. Friends of FHAN in the area report that local residents have no idea what kind of 'development' is planned for the areas currently being rendered lifeless. (September 18)
Coastal development, land reclamation or environmental vandalism? The Ogimi coast, until recently a breeding ground for green sea and loggerhead turtles is currently being turned into yet another lifeless coastal wasteland.
"Static display" does what it says
For all its faults, the 'static display' of aircraft at this weekend's Futenma Flightline Fair at least provided an opportunity for residents of Ginowan City to examine at close quarters the aircraft which regularly fly around in circles above their heads. As a matter of taste, organisers exercised a degree of discretion by not including the CH-53D - the precise model which crashed into Okinawa International University two years ago. Nevertheless, a CH-53E - identical in its dimensions - provided a handy yardstick for anyone wondering about the scale of the danger posed by any future impact of such aircraft into residential areas surrounding the base.
The CH-53E: a slightly revamped version of the CH-3D, the helicopter which crashed into the main building of Okinawa International University on August 13, 2004.
A CH-53 seen from a more familiar angle for Ginowan residents, conducting a routine circular training flight over the city, August 29, 2006.
Those prepared to stray into what gun-toting Marine guards and military police called 'unauthorised areas' - also known as Okinawan ancestral land - were also able to catch a glimpse into the sheer scale of the base itself, which occupies an area the equivalent of over 500 soccer pitches.
Futenma Air Station - occupying an area the equivalent of over 500 soccer pitches in the heart of Ginowan City. Click here for an aerial view.
The so-called static display, coming two years after the helicopter crash into Okinawa International University and ten years after US and Japanese governments promised to close the base within five to seven years was also a timely reminder of the intransigence of US and Japanese authorities in keeping their promises to Okinawans.
(August 21)
Shimabukuro shown his colours
In a recent interview with the Japan Times, US Marine Corps assistant chief of staff Richardo Stewart revealed that the US military colour-codes municipalities in Okinawa along the following lines:
"Green means the elected officials represent the silent majority view on the bases, yellow means the officials are neutral and red means they oppose the bases."
On the surface, this would seem to indicate a fairly simple case of red-green colour blindness, given that the silent majority of Okinawans - between 80-93%- oppose the current choice being offerred to residents: live with the danger of Futenma Air Station or the destruction of the Henoko reef.
In reply to a question regarding what colour he would assign recently elected Nago mayor Shimabukuro Yoshikazu, Stewart provided further evidence confirming the initial diagnosis by replying, "Definitely green."
Since then, Shimabukuro has betrayed the overwhelming majority of Okinawans and his own electorate by expressing his approval for the latest Henoko plan which will add a second runway to a scheme which over 80% of Okinawans already oppose.
FHAN contacted Stewart in order to ask who he believed the 'silent majority' in Okinawa were, and ask for a map of municipalities and their colour classifications.
As usual, no response was forthcoming. (April 5)
10th noise abatement anniversary falls on deaf ears
The deafening sound of helicopters and transport aircraft circling over Ginowan City this week muted anniversary celebrations of the release of a memorandum by a Joint Committee of US and Japanese officials announcing "Aircraft Noise Abatement Countermeasures at Futenma Air Station."
The elusive document is reprinted here for posterity, but for those who tend to get frustrated with US miltary rhetoric, its contents can be summarised as follows: "We will keep the noise down except when 'The Mission' prevents us from doing so."
The memorandum also makes the assertion that "Airfield traffic configuration, including entry and exit routes, should be designed to avoid over flight of densely populated areas, including schools and hospitals, as much as possible."
For students of language, the document is an interesting source of hedges such as the 'as much as possible' in the previous quote, and subclauses, all carefully crafted to avoid making any commitment to a change in the US military policy and practices which generate fear and loathing in Ginowan and neighbouring municipalities.
(March 30)
A Lockheed P3 Orion passes close to Okinawa Catholic Nursery School after directly overflying numerous schools and hospitals in Ginowan City during an afternoon of perpetual take-off and landing exercises.
Sad passing of FHAN friend and supporter
FHAN joins Okinawa International University and thousands of former students and friends in mourning the passing of Professor Kinjo Mamoru, who died suddenly last week while attending an academic conference in Seoul. As well as his academic achievements in the field of phonetics, Professor Kinjo will be remembered as a teacher who always identified with the less powerful and favoured co-operation and good-humour over competition and conflict in his dealings with others. Futenma-Henoko Action Network was one of a number of Okinawan NGOs and academic groups which benefited from Prefessor Kinjo's advice and support. As well as a brother and other relatives, he also leaves behind a wider family of colleagues and students in Okinawa, as well as friends in Japan, Asia, the US and UK and elsewhere, where he lectured and studied. (March 24)
Mass protest underlines strength of Ginowan opposition to Henoko Mark II
Surpassing the expectations of organisers, a crowd of 35,000 Okinawan residents and supporters from other parts of Japan and beyond gathered at Ginowan Kaihin Koen on March 5.
The turnout reinforced results of a series of opinion polls indicating that between 80-95% of the population of Okinawa are opposed to the 'relocation' of the Futenma Base off the east coast of Okinawa.
Even so, such overwhelming demonstrations of the democratic will of the people of Okinawa are still dismissed with casual contempt by leading US officials.
Commenting on the protest in the days following the rally, Donald Rumsfeld, for instance, was reported to have dismissed the protest on the grounds that there were many other people in Okinawa besides the 35,000 who gathered for the demonstration.
Rumsfeld's contempt for the democratic will of the people of Okinawa also does much to support the observation and advice of leading critics of the US military presence in Okinawa such as Miyume Tanji and Makishi Yoshikazu that "The US military claims to be protecting global democracy. Respecting local democracy would be a good start."
A crowd of 35,000 gathered at Ginowan Kaihin Koen on March 5 to demonstrate against latest US plan to seal the Henoko and Oura Bays under a new US military base. The gathering, larger than both the September 2004 protest in the aftermath of the Okinawa International University helicopter crash, or the human chain protest around Futenma Air Base in May 2005 underlines the strength of Okinawan opposition to US plans to destroy the reef and sea grass beds to make way for the base.
(March 15)
"CH-53s crash on training mission" - sound familiar?
Latest reports have confirmed the deaths of eight marines and two air air force personnel after two US Marine Corps CH-53 helicopters crashed on a training exercise off the coast of the east African state of Djibouti on February 17. The cause of the accident has so far not been established, though a Department of Defense spokesman was quoted as saying "there is no indication that the aircraft were brought down by enemy fire." Weather conditions are also reported to have been good at the time. Reasonable speculation has centred on the probability that the helicopters collided, possibly while flying in the same close formation habitually adopted during training flights over Ginowan City. Luckily for the countries' civilian population the accident occurred over open water. The crash nevertheless highlights again the criminal irresponsibility of the US Marine Corps continuing CH-53 training flights in the skies over Ginowan City and neighbouring municipalities. The latest crash is the fifth 'not involving enemy fire' since January 2002, bringing the death toll to over 50 military personnel. In the process of compiling this report FHAN has also discovered that a 1985 helicopter crash which killed four marines in Okinawa also involved the same kind of helicopter, also on a training flight. Reporting the incident at the time, the New York Times described the crash as "the third fatal accident involving a CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter in Asia in 18 months." For more on the disastrous safety record of the CH-53 and other helicopters stationed at Futenma visit the No Fly Zone helicopter safety page . (February 20)
US and Japan resolve to wag the Senkaku dog
In an apparent effort to stoke the embers of what might seem one of the world's most absurd territorial conflicts - that between Japanese and Chinese authorities over eight uninhabited rocky outcrops in the East China Sea - the US and Japanese government's have agreed to conduct exercises based on a Chinese invasion scenario. The joint exercise, which is to involve Japanese 'self-defense' forces in what is bound to be perceived in China as a provocative manoevre is designed to train Japanese military forces to repel an 'invasion' of the uninhabited islets. As in more high-profile conflicts, greed over fossil fuels, in this case the gas fields thought to lie in disputed territorial waters between Japan and China, is the underlying cause of the dispute. Japan's claim over the islets is also based on grubby claims to sovereignty based upon the 1895 Shimonoseki Treaty, imperial Japan's first exercise in dictating terms to defeated subject powers during its genocidal colonial misadventure. Even so, raising a rhetorical flag over the islets and concocting the threat of invasion is likely to prove a convenient means of manipulating fear in order promote the US and Japanese military agenda in Okinawa. (January 1)
Island Mart denounces Ginowan as 'anti-American hotbed'
The latest seasonal edition of Island Mart, the free weekly newsheet which has replaced the Japan Update, cheerily leads its front page with the heartwarming story that Okinawa's Yuletide season is officially underway. The headline introduces a long story plugging the Camp Courtney "Christmas and Holiday Festival,' along with archive photographs of happy Okinawans and Americans attending a previous year's event. Judging from another more minor front-page story, though, an unsavoury cohort of mean-spirited Okinawans appears unwilling to share in the festive mood. The juxtaposition encourages readers to contrast the US display of seasonal good-neighbourliness with a report that 'the anti-American mayor of Ginowan ratcheted up the anti-American rhetoric on the ninth anniversary of the plan to move Futenma Marine Corps Air Station.' As though ruing a failure to insert the 'anti-American' label more than twice into the same sentence, the reporter goes on to attach it to the city as a whole, which, we are told, 'has long been an activist anti-American hotbed, with protesters continuing to speak out about a rape incident ten years ago, as well as the crash of a helicopter more than one year ago.' In case readers are left in any doubt that the message to take away from this sentence is that Okinawans should no longer be droning on about about such trivial incidents from the dim and distant past the writer adds that the crash 'injured only the three U.S. Marines aboard, but caused an uproar in the community.' Thus are Okinawans told that to place their own safety and that of their children ahead of the need to continue flying 40 year-old helicopters on training flights over residential areas, or to keep bringing up the subject of the gang rape of a 12 year old girl is 'anti-American.' Other anti-American activities no doubt include pointing out that land for the base was seized at bayonet point from local residents, many of whom were then convinced to emigrate by false stories of the comfortable existence awaiting them in the Bolivian jungle, where they were unceremoniously dumped and left to fend for themselves. The report, which focussed on the unveiling of the 'anti-American' message, 'Don't fly over our city. U.S. helos out now!' which has been painted on the roof of Ginowan City Hall, did, however, perform one involuntary public service by suggesting in a subtitle an alternative slogan for the roof of any other public spirited institution looking to follow the city government's lead: 'Get the Helos out!' The former editor of Island Mart's ancestor paper Japan Update distinguished himself by drawing attention to attempts by US military authorities to intimidate journalists and members of the public who refused to toe the US military line. Recent evidence would suggest that such efforts on the part of the US military are no longer necessary: Island Mart is one of three remaining newspapers regularly publishing news about Okinawa in English, the other two being the Stars and Stripes and Okinawa Marine. (Dec 12)
The message to US forces painted on the roof of Ginowan City Hall: hysterical anti-Americanism or the civic duty of a responsible municipal government? Picture courtesy of Ginowan City Office.
C-130 crash awakens memories of last year's unheeded warnings
Yesterday's crash of an Iranian military C-130 Hercules transport aircraft into an aparrtment building in Tehran, killing over 100 people, has been hastily attributed to Iranian incompetence. The safety record of the aircraft, however, as well as the untrustworthiness of media reports into a C-130 crash earlier this year should provide ample grounds for provoking extreme anxiety among the residents of Ginowan City, who are regularly forced to take their chances on the ground while multiple C-130 take-off and landing exercises circle over their heads.
A C-130 Hercules transport aircraft comes in to land during a repeated take-off and landing manoeuvre which Okinawans are forced to accept as 'normal.' In North America and elsewhere training flights are routed away from residential areas.
On January 30 this year a British RAF C-130 crashed north of Baghdad killing 10 British servicemen. Initially news agencies seized on a video purporting to show the crashing aircraft as evidence that it had been shot down by insurgents. During the following days, however, it emerged to much less fanfare that the story was, in fact, a hoax. An interim RAF report in March could also do no more than discount a number of possibilities, leaving the cause of the crash a mystery. In early February, a US military E-version of the C-130, described by the BBC as 'similar, but not identical' to the type which crashed in Iraq, was found to have cracks in its wings, leading the grounding of the model by the US military. FHAN is currently trying to ascertain which particular model crashed in Iran, which models are regularly flown over Ginowan, whether the C-130E remains grounded, or whether there is any reason to feel more confident about the safety record of one type of C-130 over another. Reports of the accident have also reawakened memories of the US military response to the crash of a CH-53 helicopter in Iraq on August 11 last year. On that occasion, even though all reports described the crash as an accident, and discounted enemy fire as a cause, no action was taken by the US military to ground their CH-53s, leading directly to the crash only two days later of the same kind of helicopter into Okinawa International University. The C-130 Hercules, like the CH-53 Sea Stallion, is an ageing relic of the Vietnam era. However, in terms of size, weight and destructive potential on impact with urban residential areas the threat posed by the gargantuan C-130 dwarfs even that from the now notorious CH-53. (Dec 7)
Cracks appear in the conservative facade
High-profile Okinawa International University economics professor Tomikawa Moritake advised a cautious response to the recent proposal to move 7,000 US marines from Okinawa in a weekend interview with the Stars and Stripes. Tomikawa, who has long been associated with conservative positions on base issues, warned against the consequences of the sudden withdrawal of large numbers of troops on economic grounds. The report also featured comments from housing association officials highlighting the potentially negative impact of the otherwise welcome exodus on the local housing sector. As the offer to remove the troops is entirely dependent on an agreement over the latest proposal to build a new base in the Henoko-Schwab area, the comments suggest that the rift between conservatives in Okinawa and their allies in Japan and the US is widening. The comments follow recent remarks by Okinawa governor Inamine Keiichi rejecting the latest proposals and calling for the unconditional removal of Futenma Air Station from the prefecture. Given the humiliation of local conservative politicians by their exclusion from recent negotiations, which unceremoniously dumped their cherished dual use airport scheme in favour of a modified, exclusively military plan, the peevish response is hardly surprising. (Nov 29)
Ryukyu Shimpo English coverage dead as well as buried
The Shimpo Weekly News, the Ryukyu Shimpo newspaper's English section, which notoriously buried the story of last year's helicopter crash in its briefs section, and then failed to dedicate even a single column inch to the mass demonstration the following month, has now put its English coverage out of its misery. This decision has finally cleared the way for the US military newspaper Stars and Stripes - uninitiated readers are encouraged to infer what they may from the title about the newspaper's editorial position - to become the most reliable source of print news news about Okinawa in English. Five years ago, monthly and weekly newspapers in English vied with English editions of both daily Okinawan newspapers to provide a relatively independent source of news about events in Okinawa. Unfortunately, a combination of insolvency, self-censorship and intimidation has since cleared the stage for the the US military mouthpiece to be able to declare itself the only show in town. Anyone wishing to express their condolences on the passing of the English page, which at least provided a forum for young writers to express their views, is encouraged to contact the newspaper directly, or to sign the petition against its summary execution. (For further details contact info@fhan.org). (Nov 28)
Where democracy is "a parochial issue."
During the recent round of negotiations over the Futenma issue between US and Japanese governments, which conveniently excluded any representatives from Okinawa, senior Pentagon official Richard Lawless declared that the negotiating parties (presumably not including Okinawans, who were not invited), "no longer had the luxury of interminable dialogue about parochial issues." Anyone confused as to why the absence of democracy is a 'parochial issue' in Okinawa but a reason to wage war in other parts of the world is encouraged to take the matter up with the US Department of Defense , which pledges to answer such queries as soon as possible. Use your imagination, or cut and paste the following question:
If US foreign policy is aimed at promoting democracy, why does the US refuse to close Futenma Air Base in Okinawa even though between three quarters to 90% of the population want the base closed unconditionally? (November 26)
For all its faults, the 'static display' of aircraft at this weekend's Futenma Flightline Fair at least provided an opportunity for residents of Ginowan City to examine at close quarters the aircraft which regularly fly around in circles above their heads. As a matter of taste, organisers exercised a degree of discretion by not including the CH-53D - the precise model which crashed into Okinawa International University two years ago. Nevertheless, a CH-53E - identical in its dimensions - provided a handy yardstick for anyone wondering about the scale of the danger posed by any future impact of such aircraft into residential areas surrounding the base.
The CH-53E: a slightly revamped version of the CH-3D, the helicopter which crashed into the main building of Okinawa International University on August 13, 2004.A CH-53 seen from a more familiar angle for Ginowan residents, conducting a routine circular training flight over the city, August 29, 2006.
Those prepared to stray into what gun-toting Marine guards and military police called 'unauthorised areas' - also known as Okinawan ancestral land - were also able to catch a glimpse into the sheer scale of the base itself, which occupies an area the equivalent of over 500 soccer pitches.
Futenma Air Station - occupying an area the equivalent of over 500 soccer pitches in the heart of Ginowan City. Click here for an aerial view.The so-called static display, coming two years after the helicopter crash into Okinawa International University and ten years after US and Japanese governments promised to close the base within five to seven years was also a timely reminder of the intransigence of US and Japanese authorities in keeping their promises to Okinawans.
(August 21)
Shimabukuro shown his colours
In a recent interview with the Japan Times, US Marine Corps assistant chief of staff Richardo Stewart revealed that the US military colour-codes municipalities in Okinawa along the following lines:
"Green means the elected officials represent the silent majority view on the bases, yellow means the officials are neutral and red means they oppose the bases."
On the surface, this would seem to indicate a fairly simple case of red-green colour blindness, given that the silent majority of Okinawans - between 80-93%- oppose the current choice being offerred to residents: live with the danger of Futenma Air Station or the destruction of the Henoko reef.
In reply to a question regarding what colour he would assign recently elected Nago mayor Shimabukuro Yoshikazu, Stewart provided further evidence confirming the initial diagnosis by replying, "Definitely green."
Since then, Shimabukuro has betrayed the overwhelming majority of Okinawans and his own electorate by expressing his approval for the latest Henoko plan which will add a second runway to a scheme which over 80% of Okinawans already oppose.
FHAN contacted Stewart in order to ask who he believed the 'silent majority' in Okinawa were, and ask for a map of municipalities and their colour classifications.
As usual, no response was forthcoming. (April 5)
10th noise abatement anniversary falls on deaf ears
The deafening sound of helicopters and transport aircraft circling over Ginowan City this week muted anniversary celebrations of the release of a memorandum by a Joint Committee of US and Japanese officials announcing "Aircraft Noise Abatement Countermeasures at Futenma Air Station."
The elusive document is reprinted here for posterity, but for those who tend to get frustrated with US miltary rhetoric, its contents can be summarised as follows: "We will keep the noise down except when 'The Mission' prevents us from doing so."
The memorandum also makes the assertion that "Airfield traffic configuration, including entry and exit routes, should be designed to avoid over flight of densely populated areas, including schools and hospitals, as much as possible."
For students of language, the document is an interesting source of hedges such as the 'as much as possible' in the previous quote, and subclauses, all carefully crafted to avoid making any commitment to a change in the US military policy and practices which generate fear and loathing in Ginowan and neighbouring municipalities.
(March 30)
A Lockheed P3 Orion passes close to Okinawa Catholic Nursery School after directly overflying numerous schools and hospitals in Ginowan City during an afternoon of perpetual take-off and landing exercises.
Sad passing of FHAN friend and supporter
FHAN joins Okinawa International University and thousands of former students and friends in mourning the passing of Professor Kinjo Mamoru, who died suddenly last week while attending an academic conference in Seoul. As well as his academic achievements in the field of phonetics, Professor Kinjo will be remembered as a teacher who always identified with the less powerful and favoured co-operation and good-humour over competition and conflict in his dealings with others. Futenma-Henoko Action Network was one of a number of Okinawan NGOs and academic groups which benefited from Prefessor Kinjo's advice and support. As well as a brother and other relatives, he also leaves behind a wider family of colleagues and students in Okinawa, as well as friends in Japan, Asia, the US and UK and elsewhere, where he lectured and studied. (March 24)
Mass protest underlines strength of Ginowan opposition to Henoko Mark II
Surpassing the expectations of organisers, a crowd of 35,000 Okinawan residents and supporters from other parts of Japan and beyond gathered at Ginowan Kaihin Koen on March 5.
The turnout reinforced results of a series of opinion polls indicating that between 80-95% of the population of Okinawa are opposed to the 'relocation' of the Futenma Base off the east coast of Okinawa.
Even so, such overwhelming demonstrations of the democratic will of the people of Okinawa are still dismissed with casual contempt by leading US officials.
Commenting on the protest in the days following the rally, Donald Rumsfeld, for instance, was reported to have dismissed the protest on the grounds that there were many other people in Okinawa besides the 35,000 who gathered for the demonstration.
Rumsfeld's contempt for the democratic will of the people of Okinawa also does much to support the observation and advice of leading critics of the US military presence in Okinawa such as Miyume Tanji and Makishi Yoshikazu that "The US military claims to be protecting global democracy. Respecting local democracy would be a good start."
A crowd of 35,000 gathered at Ginowan Kaihin Koen on March 5 to demonstrate against latest US plan to seal the Henoko and Oura Bays under a new US military base. The gathering, larger than both the September 2004 protest in the aftermath of the Okinawa International University helicopter crash, or the human chain protest around Futenma Air Base in May 2005 underlines the strength of Okinawan opposition to US plans to destroy the reef and sea grass beds to make way for the base.
(March 15)
"CH-53s crash on training mission" - sound familiar?
Latest reports have confirmed the deaths of eight marines and two air air force personnel after two US Marine Corps CH-53 helicopters crashed on a training exercise off the coast of the east African state of Djibouti on February 17. The cause of the accident has so far not been established, though a Department of Defense spokesman was quoted as saying "there is no indication that the aircraft were brought down by enemy fire." Weather conditions are also reported to have been good at the time. Reasonable speculation has centred on the probability that the helicopters collided, possibly while flying in the same close formation habitually adopted during training flights over Ginowan City. Luckily for the countries' civilian population the accident occurred over open water. The crash nevertheless highlights again the criminal irresponsibility of the US Marine Corps continuing CH-53 training flights in the skies over Ginowan City and neighbouring municipalities. The latest crash is the fifth 'not involving enemy fire' since January 2002, bringing the death toll to over 50 military personnel. In the process of compiling this report FHAN has also discovered that a 1985 helicopter crash which killed four marines in Okinawa also involved the same kind of helicopter, also on a training flight. Reporting the incident at the time, the New York Times described the crash as "the third fatal accident involving a CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter in Asia in 18 months." For more on the disastrous safety record of the CH-53 and other helicopters stationed at Futenma visit the No Fly Zone helicopter safety page . (February 20)
US and Japan resolve to wag the Senkaku dog
In an apparent effort to stoke the embers of what might seem one of the world's most absurd territorial conflicts - that between Japanese and Chinese authorities over eight uninhabited rocky outcrops in the East China Sea - the US and Japanese government's have agreed to conduct exercises based on a Chinese invasion scenario. The joint exercise, which is to involve Japanese 'self-defense' forces in what is bound to be perceived in China as a provocative manoevre is designed to train Japanese military forces to repel an 'invasion' of the uninhabited islets. As in more high-profile conflicts, greed over fossil fuels, in this case the gas fields thought to lie in disputed territorial waters between Japan and China, is the underlying cause of the dispute. Japan's claim over the islets is also based on grubby claims to sovereignty based upon the 1895 Shimonoseki Treaty, imperial Japan's first exercise in dictating terms to defeated subject powers during its genocidal colonial misadventure. Even so, raising a rhetorical flag over the islets and concocting the threat of invasion is likely to prove a convenient means of manipulating fear in order promote the US and Japanese military agenda in Okinawa. (January 1)
Island Mart denounces Ginowan as 'anti-American hotbed'
The latest seasonal edition of Island Mart, the free weekly newsheet which has replaced the Japan Update, cheerily leads its front page with the heartwarming story that Okinawa's Yuletide season is officially underway. The headline introduces a long story plugging the Camp Courtney "Christmas and Holiday Festival,' along with archive photographs of happy Okinawans and Americans attending a previous year's event. Judging from another more minor front-page story, though, an unsavoury cohort of mean-spirited Okinawans appears unwilling to share in the festive mood. The juxtaposition encourages readers to contrast the US display of seasonal good-neighbourliness with a report that 'the anti-American mayor of Ginowan ratcheted up the anti-American rhetoric on the ninth anniversary of the plan to move Futenma Marine Corps Air Station.' As though ruing a failure to insert the 'anti-American' label more than twice into the same sentence, the reporter goes on to attach it to the city as a whole, which, we are told, 'has long been an activist anti-American hotbed, with protesters continuing to speak out about a rape incident ten years ago, as well as the crash of a helicopter more than one year ago.' In case readers are left in any doubt that the message to take away from this sentence is that Okinawans should no longer be droning on about about such trivial incidents from the dim and distant past the writer adds that the crash 'injured only the three U.S. Marines aboard, but caused an uproar in the community.' Thus are Okinawans told that to place their own safety and that of their children ahead of the need to continue flying 40 year-old helicopters on training flights over residential areas, or to keep bringing up the subject of the gang rape of a 12 year old girl is 'anti-American.' Other anti-American activities no doubt include pointing out that land for the base was seized at bayonet point from local residents, many of whom were then convinced to emigrate by false stories of the comfortable existence awaiting them in the Bolivian jungle, where they were unceremoniously dumped and left to fend for themselves. The report, which focussed on the unveiling of the 'anti-American' message, 'Don't fly over our city. U.S. helos out now!' which has been painted on the roof of Ginowan City Hall, did, however, perform one involuntary public service by suggesting in a subtitle an alternative slogan for the roof of any other public spirited institution looking to follow the city government's lead: 'Get the Helos out!' The former editor of Island Mart's ancestor paper Japan Update distinguished himself by drawing attention to attempts by US military authorities to intimidate journalists and members of the public who refused to toe the US military line. Recent evidence would suggest that such efforts on the part of the US military are no longer necessary: Island Mart is one of three remaining newspapers regularly publishing news about Okinawa in English, the other two being the Stars and Stripes and Okinawa Marine. (Dec 12)
The message to US forces painted on the roof of Ginowan City Hall: hysterical anti-Americanism or the civic duty of a responsible municipal government? Picture courtesy of Ginowan City Office.
C-130 crash awakens memories of last year's unheeded warnings
Yesterday's crash of an Iranian military C-130 Hercules transport aircraft into an aparrtment building in Tehran, killing over 100 people, has been hastily attributed to Iranian incompetence. The safety record of the aircraft, however, as well as the untrustworthiness of media reports into a C-130 crash earlier this year should provide ample grounds for provoking extreme anxiety among the residents of Ginowan City, who are regularly forced to take their chances on the ground while multiple C-130 take-off and landing exercises circle over their heads.
A C-130 Hercules transport aircraft comes in to land during a repeated take-off and landing manoeuvre which Okinawans are forced to accept as 'normal.' In North America and elsewhere training flights are routed away from residential areas.
On January 30 this year a British RAF C-130 crashed north of Baghdad killing 10 British servicemen. Initially news agencies seized on a video purporting to show the crashing aircraft as evidence that it had been shot down by insurgents. During the following days, however, it emerged to much less fanfare that the story was, in fact, a hoax. An interim RAF report in March could also do no more than discount a number of possibilities, leaving the cause of the crash a mystery. In early February, a US military E-version of the C-130, described by the BBC as 'similar, but not identical' to the type which crashed in Iraq, was found to have cracks in its wings, leading the grounding of the model by the US military. FHAN is currently trying to ascertain which particular model crashed in Iran, which models are regularly flown over Ginowan, whether the C-130E remains grounded, or whether there is any reason to feel more confident about the safety record of one type of C-130 over another. Reports of the accident have also reawakened memories of the US military response to the crash of a CH-53 helicopter in Iraq on August 11 last year. On that occasion, even though all reports described the crash as an accident, and discounted enemy fire as a cause, no action was taken by the US military to ground their CH-53s, leading directly to the crash only two days later of the same kind of helicopter into Okinawa International University. The C-130 Hercules, like the CH-53 Sea Stallion, is an ageing relic of the Vietnam era. However, in terms of size, weight and destructive potential on impact with urban residential areas the threat posed by the gargantuan C-130 dwarfs even that from the now notorious CH-53. (Dec 7)
Cracks appear in the conservative facade
High-profile Okinawa International University economics professor Tomikawa Moritake advised a cautious response to the recent proposal to move 7,000 US marines from Okinawa in a weekend interview with the Stars and Stripes. Tomikawa, who has long been associated with conservative positions on base issues, warned against the consequences of the sudden withdrawal of large numbers of troops on economic grounds. The report also featured comments from housing association officials highlighting the potentially negative impact of the otherwise welcome exodus on the local housing sector. As the offer to remove the troops is entirely dependent on an agreement over the latest proposal to build a new base in the Henoko-Schwab area, the comments suggest that the rift between conservatives in Okinawa and their allies in Japan and the US is widening. The comments follow recent remarks by Okinawa governor Inamine Keiichi rejecting the latest proposals and calling for the unconditional removal of Futenma Air Station from the prefecture. Given the humiliation of local conservative politicians by their exclusion from recent negotiations, which unceremoniously dumped their cherished dual use airport scheme in favour of a modified, exclusively military plan, the peevish response is hardly surprising. (Nov 29)
Ryukyu Shimpo English coverage dead as well as buried
The Shimpo Weekly News, the Ryukyu Shimpo newspaper's English section, which notoriously buried the story of last year's helicopter crash in its briefs section, and then failed to dedicate even a single column inch to the mass demonstration the following month, has now put its English coverage out of its misery. This decision has finally cleared the way for the US military newspaper Stars and Stripes - uninitiated readers are encouraged to infer what they may from the title about the newspaper's editorial position - to become the most reliable source of print news news about Okinawa in English. Five years ago, monthly and weekly newspapers in English vied with English editions of both daily Okinawan newspapers to provide a relatively independent source of news about events in Okinawa. Unfortunately, a combination of insolvency, self-censorship and intimidation has since cleared the stage for the the US military mouthpiece to be able to declare itself the only show in town. Anyone wishing to express their condolences on the passing of the English page, which at least provided a forum for young writers to express their views, is encouraged to contact the newspaper directly, or to sign the petition against its summary execution. (For further details contact info@fhan.org). (Nov 28)
Where democracy is "a parochial issue."
During the recent round of negotiations over the Futenma issue between US and Japanese governments, which conveniently excluded any representatives from Okinawa, senior Pentagon official Richard Lawless declared that the negotiating parties (presumably not including Okinawans, who were not invited), "no longer had the luxury of interminable dialogue about parochial issues." Anyone confused as to why the absence of democracy is a 'parochial issue' in Okinawa but a reason to wage war in other parts of the world is encouraged to take the matter up with the US Department of Defense , which pledges to answer such queries as soon as possible. Use your imagination, or cut and paste the following question:
If US foreign policy is aimed at promoting democracy, why does the US refuse to close Futenma Air Base in Okinawa even though between three quarters to 90% of the population want the base closed unconditionally? (November 26)
Earth Report documentary goes to air
Excitement, relief and a redoubled determination to achieve the unconditional closure of Futenma Air Base were among the responses of FHAN members and supporters to initial viewings of the Earth Report programme, which has now been broadcast four times on BBC World. Ginowan Mayor Iha Yoichi was among those who joined FHAN members on Saturday October 1 for a an initial viewing of the film.
Champagne was kept on ice, however, awaiting an unequivocal commitment on the part of the US and Japanese governments to stop endangering the lives of Okinawan residents and destroying their environment by imposing an enormous US military burden on the population, and by attempting to force a new base at Henoko down Okinawans throats.
FHAN is now looking into ways of using the rights it owns to the programme to ensure the documentary reaches large national and local audiences, as well as drawing international attention to the manifold injustices the US presence inflicts on the local population. (October 3)
Champagne was kept on ice, however, awaiting an unequivocal commitment on the part of the US and Japanese governments to stop endangering the lives of Okinawan residents and destroying their environment by imposing an enormous US military burden on the population, and by attempting to force a new base at Henoko down Okinawans throats.
FHAN is now looking into ways of using the rights it owns to the programme to ensure the documentary reaches large national and local audiences, as well as drawing international attention to the manifold injustices the US presence inflicts on the local population. (October 3)
FHAN members, friends and supporters celebrate the Earth Report broadcast
BBC World Earth Report programme details
Development With Destruction, the Earth Report documentary which FHAN members and supporters have worked so hard to make possible, will be broadcast later this month and earlier next.
The film focuses on the Henoko issue, but also sends a powerful message about the injustice of the ongoing US occupation of massive swathes of Okinawa and the destructive effects of other construction schemes which continue to be promoted as 'development' on the island.
The provisional broadcast dates and times are as follows:
The film focuses on the Henoko issue, but also sends a powerful message about the injustice of the ongoing US occupation of massive swathes of Okinawa and the destructive effects of other construction schemes which continue to be promoted as 'development' on the island.
The provisional broadcast dates and times are as follows:
Date Japan US East Coast
Friday 30 September - 15.30
Saturday 1 October 04.30, 14.30 01.30, 20.30
Sunday 2 October 9.30 -
Monday 3 October 18.30, 22.30 05.30
Tuesday 4 October - 12.30, 21.30
Wednesday 5 October 1.30, 16.30 03.30
Programme times vary according to region, so for other time zones please refer to the BBC World listings page. (September 9)
"Good Neighbour" update
Kadena residents were thrown into panic at 8.20am on Wednesday morning (24 August) by a series of explosions on Kadena Air Base. The explosions, which were accompanied by the shrill sound of incoming rockets, and which sent smoke billowing over Route 58 achieved the US Air Force's desired effect of creating the impression that the base was being subject to a surprise missile attack. US Air Force commander Brigadier-General Jan-Marc Jouas, seems to have subsequently realised, however, that the side-effect of terrorising the local community with the early morning exercise was less than conducive to furthering the US military's "Good Neighbour" policy. As a consequence, Jouas today visited Kadena Town office to offer an apology of sorts. After presenting himself as a 'friend of the community', Jouas nevertheless went on to reveal that local residents can expect to have their nerves shredded by similar attack simulations in the future. (August 25)
US-DFAA Obon insensitivity makes mockery of "Good Neighbour" policy
One of the first acts of the new head of the Japan Defense Facilities Administration Agency, Kitahara Iwao was to tell Okinawans he had no intention of trying to persuade US forces to respect even the most sacred Okinawan holiday. Responding to a modest request from the Okinawan Prefectural Government that the US Marine Corps stop live fire exercises at its urban warfare training facility in Camp Hansen, Kin Town for the duration of the Obon festival (August 17-19), Kitahara simply replied that this would not be possible. The traditional festival, which celebrates the homecoming of the ancestors, is the most important spiritual event in the Okinawan calendar, and was particularly poignant this year, as the occasion also marked the sixtieth anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa, in which almost every family in Okinawa lost relatives. A few days later, on August 19, the last day of Obon, local television showed a gun-toting US Marine confronting local television reporter Jahana Takeshi outside Camp Hansen as he attempted to ask questions about amphibious warfare training exercises over the Obon period. Elsewhere in Okinawa, US military operations, which are normally suspended during US holidays, continued as usual throughout the three-day period. (August 23)
Newsnight programme fails to impress
Andrew Harding's Newsnight report for BBC2 can be viewed for the next few hours on the Newsnight website http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/default.stm. (see "Newsnight report to air on Monday" below for further details). Those hoping the programme would highlight the twin injustices of Futenma and Henoko are likely to be disappointed with its contents, however, which fail to include direct reference to either of these central issues. The report's many other shortcomings include a failure to draw an adequate distinction between Okinawa and Japan, and the subtle reproduction of the stereotype of Okinawa as a sparsely populated island, through, for example, the inaccurate description of Himeyuri Monument as 'the local museum,' rather than being only one of many, and not even the biggest dedicated to promoting peace. The report also made the false assertion that protests against the bases are mainly motivated by the noise and inconvenience they cause, rather than the danger they pose to public safety and the environment. In addition, it also neglected to make reference to the enduring belief that Okinawan heritage should be respected by declaring the island a weapons-free zone dedicated to promoting peace, rather than a military occupied territory comandeered for the purpose of waging war. (August 16)
When community liaison means refusing to liaise with the community
The purpose of US Marine Corps Public Affairs Administration in general, and its Community Relations Liaison Office in particular, are becoming an increasing mystery. A Thursday phone conversation with Oshiro Hidekazu, one of the office's administrative staff, revealed only that the job did not involve responding to complaints from the public, and that instead these should be directed towards Naha Defense Facilities Administration Bureau. In spite of persistent efforts, FHAN has also been unable to talk to the elusive Colonel Stacy Clardy (Marine Corps assistant chief of staff for community planning, policy and liaison), who, according to Oshiro, does not accept phone calls from members of the public. Clardy's stance has been in marked contrast to that of his counterpart at Kadena, Mike Paoli. In an earlier conversation, Paoli distanced himself from Japanese subordinates who had attempted to prevent us speaking to him. He also asserted that this kind of attempt to pass complaints on to Japanese authorities was harmful to relations between the US military and the local community. Meanwhile the struggle to speak directly to the elusive Colonel Clardy continues. (August 13)
DFAB appeals to OIU to take down its 'dangerous' balloon
Anyone wishing to follow the advice of the US Marine Corps Community Relations Office by taking their concerns about public safety in Ginowan to Naha Defense Facilities Administration Bureau may encounter DFAB Public Affairs chief Chiba Toshiyuki. On August 10, Chiba visited Okinawa International University to submit a letter asking the university to take down a protest balloon which has been flying over Building 5 since Wednesday.
The No Fly Zone balloon which DFAB considers, unlike US Marine Corps aircraft, too dangerous to fly.
DFAB submitted the request on the grounds that the balloon posed a threat to public safety. The agency remained silent, however, about the threat to public safety posed by the rather heavier 75,331 pound Hercules C130 transport aircraft which circled the city throughout the late afternoon of the same day on numerous take-off and landing drills. (August 13)
The No Fly Zone balloon which DFAB considers, unlike US Marine Corps aircraft, too dangerous to fly.
DFAB submitted the request on the grounds that the balloon posed a threat to public safety. The agency remained silent, however, about the threat to public safety posed by the rather heavier 75,331 pound Hercules C130 transport aircraft which circled the city throughout the late afternoon of the same day on numerous take-off and landing drills. (August 13)
Newsnight report to air on Monday
The BBC crew in Okinawa to make a report for BBC2's influential Newsnight programme completed filming on Tuesday. The report, which will be broadcast in Britain this coming Monday (August 15) will include segments from Hiroshima as well as Okinawa, and has been produced to mark the 60th anniversary of what is known in the 'Anglosphere' as VJ (Victory in Japan) Day.
The Okinawa segment of the report is due to feature interviews with survivors of the Battle of Okinawa, former Yomitan mayor and Human Chain organiser Yamauchi Tokushin and Okinawa International University students, Shinzen Yuji and Matsugawa Hidenari.
Worldwide, the programme can be viewed on the Newsnight website for a 24-hour period only http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/default.stm (from 7.30am Tuesday to 7.30am Wednesday in Japan, 5.30pm Monday to 5.30pm Tuesday on the US east coast, and 2.30pm Monday- to 2.30pm Tuesday on the US west coast).
The Newsnight programme itself has a chequered history, but has in the past aired excellent reports, including Greg Pallast's investigation into vote-rigging in Florida during the 2000 US election, which US television stations refused to broadcast.
It would be unduly optimistic to expect a similar quality of journalism to feature in the Hiroshima-Okinawa report, however, as Andrew Harding, the BBC reporter filing the story was until recently, in his guise as BBC reporter in Iraq, a member of what John Pilger memorably described as "the flak-jacketed, cliche-crunching camp followers known as 'embeds'. "
The BBC news commitment to the ideology of 'balance', according to which every issue is approached as though two equally plausible 'truths' were possible should also encourage viewers to watch the programme with a critical eye, and be ready to respond to inaccurate representations of the situation in Okinawa.
As a result we encourage as many people as possible to watch the programme and post feedback on the Newsnight website. (August 12)
Korea-Japan Student Forum comes to Okinawa
Delegates of the Japan-Korea Student Forum are currently visiting Okinawa in order to explore issues relating to war and peace, the US military presence, and the need to construct an East Asian community built on mutual respect, rather than the threat of war. The visit, which has been made possible with the help of students from Okinawa International University, includes a discussion forum to be held at OIU on August 9.
(August 8)
Delegates of the Japan-Korea Student Forum are currently visiting Okinawa in order to explore issues relating to war and peace, the US military presence, and the need to construct an East Asian community built on mutual respect, rather than the threat of war. The visit, which has been made possible with the help of students from Okinawa International University, includes a discussion forum to be held at OIU on August 9.
(August 8)
Students attending the Korea-Japan Student Forum visit the studio of Okinawan artist Kinjo Minoru, August 6, 2005Latest from Steve, Emmeke and Kelly
In the last week FHAN has received messages from Earth Report programme makers Steve Couri and Emmeke Vierhout, and FHAN founder member Kelly Dietz, who has now returned to the US.
In an e-mail earlier this week, Earth Report director Steve Couri, currently in Australia, told FHAN that work on the documentary was progressing well, but that he was still in the process of scripting and editing the programme.
After completing a rough edit of the film, Steve will then take it to London for final editing. The finished version of the programme will then be delivered to BBC World for scrutiny by lawyers, a process which requires the production company TVE to submit the documentary at least three weeks prior to broadcast.
As a result, it seems increasingly unlikely that the late September slot for which the programme is currently scheduled can be significantly brought forward. Could there also be an advantage in the Okinawa programme being the last in the current series, which is due to finish at the end of September? Comments/suggestions welcome - info@fhan.org
After spending time working on the Earth Report programme and other projects in Hanoi, Singapore, Bali, Australia and Vanuatu, Steve's assistant Emmeke Vierhout has now returned to Holland, from where she recently contacted us to enquire about latest developments, and update us on her current situation and future plans.
Meanwhile, after a hectic few weeks ending with her accompanying Ginowan mayor Iha Yoichi's delegation on their recent visit to the US, FHAN founder member and Okinawa's favourite dissident researcher, Kelly Dietz, has now returned to her Montana home, prior to resuming her studies at Cornell. (August 3)
In an e-mail earlier this week, Earth Report director Steve Couri, currently in Australia, told FHAN that work on the documentary was progressing well, but that he was still in the process of scripting and editing the programme.
After completing a rough edit of the film, Steve will then take it to London for final editing. The finished version of the programme will then be delivered to BBC World for scrutiny by lawyers, a process which requires the production company TVE to submit the documentary at least three weeks prior to broadcast.
As a result, it seems increasingly unlikely that the late September slot for which the programme is currently scheduled can be significantly brought forward. Could there also be an advantage in the Okinawa programme being the last in the current series, which is due to finish at the end of September? Comments/suggestions welcome - info@fhan.org
After spending time working on the Earth Report programme and other projects in Hanoi, Singapore, Bali, Australia and Vanuatu, Steve's assistant Emmeke Vierhout has now returned to Holland, from where she recently contacted us to enquire about latest developments, and update us on her current situation and future plans.
Meanwhile, after a hectic few weeks ending with her accompanying Ginowan mayor Iha Yoichi's delegation on their recent visit to the US, FHAN founder member and Okinawa's favourite dissident researcher, Kelly Dietz, has now returned to her Montana home, prior to resuming her studies at Cornell. (August 3)
Ryukyu Shimpo ends mysterious silence over base issues
The Ryukyu Shimpo has of late mended its ways slightly after the astonishing silence which marked its English language reporting of last year's helicopter crash and the subsequent mass demonstrations.
A recent English language section of the newspaper included a report of the 10,000-strong protest against the urban warfare training unit on Camp Hansen in Igei Village on July 16. The newspaper has also been daring enough to report the circumstances surrounding the apparent boycott by local dignatories of Marine Corps supreme commander Lt Gen Robert R. Blackman's leaving ceremony.
These include the alleged sexual assault by a US Air Force sergeant of a 10-year old elementary school student in Okinawa City in early July and inaccurate and insensitive remarks attributed to Blackman regarding the circumstances in which the Futenma base was established.
Even so, it is worth remembering that last year's crash, the biggest news story in Okinawa in 2005, merited only a few lines in the briefs section of the newpaper's weekly English edition, while the huge demonstration of September 12, which prompted major articles in the New York Times and was reported around the world, was completely ignored in the Shimpo's Weekly News section.
For further background information regarding the self-censorship and intimidation of the Okinawan press see http://noflyzone.homestead.com/files/english_coverage.htm
(August 1)
A recent English language section of the newspaper included a report of the 10,000-strong protest against the urban warfare training unit on Camp Hansen in Igei Village on July 16. The newspaper has also been daring enough to report the circumstances surrounding the apparent boycott by local dignatories of Marine Corps supreme commander Lt Gen Robert R. Blackman's leaving ceremony.
These include the alleged sexual assault by a US Air Force sergeant of a 10-year old elementary school student in Okinawa City in early July and inaccurate and insensitive remarks attributed to Blackman regarding the circumstances in which the Futenma base was established.
Even so, it is worth remembering that last year's crash, the biggest news story in Okinawa in 2005, merited only a few lines in the briefs section of the newpaper's weekly English edition, while the huge demonstration of September 12, which prompted major articles in the New York Times and was reported around the world, was completely ignored in the Shimpo's Weekly News section.
For further background information regarding the self-censorship and intimidation of the Okinawan press see http://noflyzone.homestead.com/files/english_coverage.htm
(August 1)
Japan Policy Research Institute to promote Ginowan City DVD
Following the recent visit of Ginowan Mayor Iha Yoichi to the US, the American-based Japan Policy Research Institute has offered to advertise and distribute the Ginowan City documentary The Wishes of 89,000 People in the US. JPRI aims to achieve this by placing a major advertisement on its web site offering to mail the DVD to members of the American public at the cost of shipment. The 10-minute documentary, co-scripted by FHAN members, features powerful images of the US presence, helicopter crash and subsequent protest, and strong messages from Ginowan residents calling for the closure of the Futenma base. Ginowan City government and FHAN share the hope of JPRI president Chalmers Johnson, that distributing the film will prove "an effective way to help disseminate the message about Futenma MCAS and its disastrous effects on the people of Ginowan." For further information about the DVD contact us info@fhan.org
(July 31)
(July 31)
Introducing Colonel Clardy
Stacy Clardy (Marine Corps assistant chief of staff for community planning, policy and liaison) is responsible for dealing with public complaints over such issues as the threat to public safety posed by military training flights over Ginowan City. The colonel should particularly welcome calls from Okinawan citizens, as earlier this year he appealed to local communities to share in the pride the Marine Corps felt in honouring the 'homecoming' of its 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit from the US orchestrated war in Iraq. Before sharing in the colonel's pride, Okinawan civilians may wish to ask why, if the 31st MEU consider Okinawa as their 'home', they don't abide by the same airline safety regulations which ensure military training flights don't take place over residential areas in the United States.
To contact Colonel Stacy Clardy phone 892-5111, wait for the dialling tone, then phone 645 4220. If this fails, try the many other public affairs numbers, all with the 645 prefix - 7423, 9324, 9335, 9367, 9405. (July 30)
FHAN and BBC collaborate on new report
FHAN is once again co-operating on a BBC project, this time a report to be shown on the corporation's influential Newsnight programme, broadcast in the UK on BBC 2. The BBC team are to visit Hiroshima and Okinawa to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, and aim to interview survivors of the the Battle of Okinawa from the Himeyuri Students Corps, Human Chain organiser Yamauchi Tokushin, Ginowan City Mayor Yoichi Iha, and students from Okinawa International University. They also hope to succeed where the Earth Report crew failed in securing an interview with US military officials. The film crew will be in Okinawa from August 8-11. After the UK broadcast the report will be streamed for a 24-hour period on the Newsnight website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/default.stm
Please watch this space for more information about the Newsnight report. (July 20)
Demolition leaves crash memorial questions unanswered
Over the 11 months since the helicopter crash, many university students, staff and members of the local public have been engaged in efforts to preserve the charred wall of the administrative building which was effectively destroyed by the impact of the crash and the subsequent explosion.
As a potent symbol of the crash, the wall has drawn thousands of visitors to the crash site, and has become the focus of a campaign for its preservation.
From its inception, FHAN has avoided taking sides over this issue, but nevertheless deplores the lack of transparency surrounding the decision to demolish the building and the exclusion of the wall preservation pressure group, students, staff and members of the public from the decision-making processes.
Three panels from the wall have been taken down as intact as they remained after the impact, but the Okinawa International University administration has yet to reveal any plans for a memorial.
Meanwhile, as the rest of the building is reduced to rubble, we ask our supporters to remember the words of Kakazu Junior High School student Kimura Natsumi, "Every morning since the crash, when I wake up I see the blackened wall damaged by the crash, The wall might be forgotten someday, but the black wall in my mind will never disappear. " (July 19)
Talk to Paoli
For members of the public in Okinawa, calling the USAF at Kadena to complain about the danger and deafening noise produced by US miitary activities has never been easier, thanks to the approachable Kadena Public Affairs chief Major Mike Paoli (pronounced 'Payoli').
Until last week, as a result of a long-standing misunderstanding, callers registering complaints about the excrutiating noise levels created by aircraft flying over urban areas in Okinawa were habitually told that this had nothing to do wih US Military Public Affairs or even Community Relations.
Instead they were mistakenly told to contact the base affairs section of their municipal office (as though their local government was responsible for the problem).
Last week, however, FHAN succeeded in clearing up this misunderstanding with Paoli, who, in a break with tradition, admitted that dealing with such complaints was the responsibilty of his office.
To complain to the Public Affairs Section in Japanese head straight for Community Relations.
From Okinawa/Japan phone (098) 938-1111 (wait for the tone) then phone 634-4503 or 634-5499
To complain in English please contact Community Relations Administration directly and ask for Major Mike Paoli.
Until last week, as a result of a long-standing misunderstanding, callers registering complaints about the excrutiating noise levels created by aircraft flying over urban areas in Okinawa were habitually told that this had nothing to do wih US Military Public Affairs or even Community Relations.
Instead they were mistakenly told to contact the base affairs section of their municipal office (as though their local government was responsible for the problem).
Last week, however, FHAN succeeded in clearing up this misunderstanding with Paoli, who, in a break with tradition, admitted that dealing with such complaints was the responsibilty of his office.
To complain to the Public Affairs Section in Japanese head straight for Community Relations.
From Okinawa/Japan phone (098) 938-1111 (wait for the tone) then phone 634-4503 or 634-5499
To complain in English please contact Community Relations Administration directly and ask for Major Mike Paoli.
From Okinawa/Japan phone (098) 938-1111 (wait for the tone) then phone 634-1509
For international calls, please use the following number ++81 6117 34 1509
The same numbers are, of course, applicable for anyone wishing to complain about the indecent assault of an elementary schoolgirl in Kadena on Sunday morning.
FHAN wishes well to Ginowan congressional delegation
As Ginowan residents are painfully aware, the US military has granted itself permission over the last few weeks to ratchet up helicopter and aeroplane flights over the city to the same level which resulted in last August's helicopter crash into Okinawa International University.
Perhaps miltary authorities are relying on Okinawan residents to count their blessings that it was only a heavy-lift helicopter that crashed into the university, rather than a Hercules transport aircraft such as the one which was incessantly 'doing the rounds' last week on take-off and landing exercises.
Meanwhile, a delegation led by Ginowan mayor Iha Yoichi leaves today on a visit to Washington to expose the injustice and hypocrisy of US policy with regard to the Futenma-Henoko issue.
As well as taking a DVD FHAN members helped to produce, Mayor Iha has also enlisted the support of founder member Kelly Dietz, who will meet the Ginowan delegation in Washington and contribute to their efforts to Close Futenma, Stop Henoko and relocate the base outside Okinawa. (July 10)
Belated thanks to everyone at OIU CALL Lab
FHAN was born in the Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) lab of Okinawa International University, from where we launched a postcard campaign designed to draw attention to the injustice Okinawans are forced to endure in exchange for being unwilling hosts of military bases. Updating this page is a reminder of the enormous debt of gratitude we owe OIU CALL Lab for the fantastic support they continue to show us. (July 4)