(Protest activities at the quarry and port)
50 people gathered at Shiokawa Port at 08:00 to prevent earth from being loaded onto the transport barges, however there was no activity at either the quarry or the barges. Taking this new opportunity, the protestors headed for the Okinawa Defense Bureau to protest the Defense Bureau’s delay of the hearings.
(In front of the gate)
This was the second day of large-scale protests in front of the gate. More than 100 persons conducted a sit-in in front of the gate, fully expecting that there would be shipments of construction materials. A feeling of relief flowed through the protesters when it was reported that there was no dump truck activity at the quarry. In the same way as the previous day, speeches were made by representatives of the four groups. The previous evening, Governor Onaga announced that the hearing delay requested by the Defense Bureau had been rejected. This announcement created much excitement among the protesters in front of the gate. As many as 260 people gathered in front of the gate in preparation for the inevitable arrival of transport trucks. A participant commented, “Now that the national government is negotiating with the prefecture, they most likely want to avoid any negative images that would be seen widely by the people of the prefecture”.
More than 80 people gathered in front of the Okinawa Defense Bureau, and called in unison for the Bureau to accept the governor’s rejection of the requested hearing delay. The protestors sat at the entrance until night, hoping to deliver written demands to the Bureau’s top leadership.
(Marine protests)
A total of 18 people set out in 2 protest boats and 15 canoes to protest. Installation had been completed of the covering blocks on the outside of the seawall that was connected that week, and work to install blocks on the seawall top was seen. Work preparing for installation of the landfill was also seen in several places.
