Who can take it?

These U.S. military bases in Okinawa...

The Okinawan people strongly urge the reduction and realignment of U.S. bases.

  Okinawa, a small island prefecture, comprises only 0.6% of the whole Japanese 
 territory. However, today, fifty years after the end of the Pacific War and the 
 Battle of Okinawa, 75% of all military installations in exclusive use of the United 
 States Forces in Japan are still concentrated here. In addition, 15 sectors of 
 Okinawa's air space and 31 zones in the sea have also been consigned to the U.S. 
 military, greatly hindering Okinawa's industrial and commercial development. 
 
 The crimes and accidents that emanate from these massive military bases 
 endanger the lives and property of the Okinawan people. On September 4, 
 a young schoolgirl on her way back from shopping was abducted and raped 
 by three American servicemen stationed in Okinawa.  We Okinawans are deeply 
 affronted by this act of inhumanity. 
 
 As many as 85,000 people participated in the ``Okinawan People's Rally" which 
 was held on October 21 to condemn this brutal assault. Calls were also made to 
 both the Japanese and U.S.governments to reduce and realign the bases on 
 Okinawa and to revise the U.S.-Japan status of Forces Agreement. 
 
 The huge and disproportional presence of U.S. military bases causes great 
 anxiety and disrupts the livelihood of local residents. Daily jet noise, closure 
 of the major Prefectural Highway 104 for live firing exercises, parachute drop 
 exercises conducted in sight of civilian residential areas, and frequent military 
 aircraft accidents, including fighter plane and helicopter crashes, are encroach- 
 ments which the Okinawan people must endure interminably. 

 Since Okinawa's reversion to Japan in 1972, 4,716 crimes have been committed 
 by military personnel, including 509 particularly heinous crimes. These crimes 
 jeopardize the fundamental human rights of the Okinawan people.  Moreover, in the 
 23 years since the reversion, a mere 15% reduction in the U.S. military bases on 
 Okinawa has been realized, a figure which falls far short of the Okinawan people's 
 expectations. 
 
 We in Okinawa are concerned that at the Japan-U.S. sumit meeting to be held in 
 November 20 the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty will be reevaluated and the importance 
 of the U.S. bases in Japan reaffirmed from a global strategic standpoint. 
 We consequently fear the strengthening of U.S. Forces in Okinawa and their 
 permanent establishment on our island.
 
 We are greatly disturbed by the current U.S. bese situation in Okinawa. The 
 oppression if the U.S. bases is intolerable, and we have reached the limits 
 of our patience. Under the grave conditins found today, we also cannnot ensure 
 a bright furure for the younger Okinawan generation in the 21st century. And so, 
 we earnestly seek the reduction and realignment of the U.S.  military bases on 
 Okinawa.

From an ``island of military bases"
to a ``green, peaceful island"..
the Okinawan people's long-cherished dream

 If you have any inquiries, plese feel free to contact:
 Military Bases Affairs Office, Executive Office of the Governor
 Okinawa Prefectural Government
 1-2-2 Izumizaki, Naha 900 Okinawa, Japan
 TEL:81-98-866-2460  FAX 81-98-869-8979
 governor@pref.okinawa.jp