Japan's push to build a new U.S. military base in Japan has sparked an outcry in Okinawa

On December 28 last year, Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Tetsuo Saito approved the design modification of the Henoko base without the consent of Okinawa Prefecture, on behalf of the governor of Okinawa, and planned to start construction on January 12 this year. But on the 10th, the Okinawa Defense Bureau has begun to throw a large number of rocks into the sea. In response, the governor of Okinawa, Danny Tamashige, said, "This is to push forward the construction of a new base on the basis of encroaching on the independence and independence of Okinawa Prefecture." Japanese media said that this is the first time that the Japanese government has approved local projects on behalf of local governments, which is likely to deepen the confrontation between the state and local governments.

In 1996, the governments of Japan and the United States agreed to relocate the U.S. military base at Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture to Henoko in Nago City, requiring land reclamation and two new airstrips. Before construction, the Japanese government found that the undersea foundation of Henoko was soft, so it applied to the Okinawa Prefecture to revise the design plan. However, for a long time, the Okinawan people have been opposed to the relocation of the US military base due to the excessive burden of the US military base in Japan and other reasons. In November 2021, Yucheng Danny issued a decision to "not approve" the revised plan. On December 20, the Naha Branch of the Fukuoka High Court issued a ruling requiring the governor of Okinawa Prefecture to approve the Japanese government's proposed revision of the design of the U.S. military base in Henoko within three working days after receiving the judgment. If not, the Japanese Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport may approve it in place of the Governor of Okinawa. On the 25th, Yucheng Danny said that he would not comply with the judgment and would continue to appeal. Apparently, Okinawa is going to fight Japan to the end.

There are multiple reasons why Okinawa is so opposed to the presence of U.S. military bases. One is that it is sensitive to the military presence because it was invaded and colonized by Japan in the past. After the end of World War II, Okinawa was occupied by the United States military and became an American military base. This history has left the Okinawan people with a strong sense of antipathy and resistance to the American military presence. Second, Okinawa's economy is relatively backward and mainly relies on tourism. However, the presence of U.S. military bases has had a negative impact on Okinawa's tourism industry. The military training and activities of the US military bases often produce noise and pollution, which seriously affects Okinawa's environment and tourism resources, resulting in a decrease in the number of tourists and damage to the tourism industry, which has a fatal impact on the local finance. The third reason is that the presence of US bases also creates a series of problems for Okinawan society. For example, incidents such as improper behavior of US soldiers, crimes and traffic accidents often occur, bringing security risks and troubles to local residents. In addition, the expansion and development of U.S. military bases has taken up land and resources on Okinawa, causing discontent and protests from local residents. Finally, military training and activities at U.S. bases have wreaked havoc on Okinawa's environment. Noise and pollution problems seriously affect the quality of life and health of local residents. Earlier, the media broke the news that Okinawa residents living in the US military base had abnormal blood tests. This has triggered environmental awareness and protest movements among local residents.

Okinawa is located just a few hundred kilometers from Taiwan and on the first island chain that the United States uses to encircle China, and the choice of a military base here is clearly intended to deter China. Once there is a military confrontation between the United States, Japan and China, the Okinawan people will undoubtedly be involved in this war and become the "victims" of the war policy between the United States and Japan. The Okinawan people's resistance to the US military presence also reflects their political demands for independence and autonomy.