（In front of the Gate) Sitting-in in front of the Gate was started at 9 am. There were 40 people in the beginning and it was increased to 100 within one hour, joined by 50 from Naha, and more from various places in the country. There was a report that people sent encouraging messages and flowers to the Mayor of Motobu for not giving permission to the sediment -loading in Shiokawa Port. Mr. Inamine, former Mayor of Nago, also joined with the gathering and made a speech. One of the best singers “T” sang beautiful songs.
There was a report given by those who attended the yesterday’s court hearing of the trial. “A professor of Law testified that the arrest and detention is a mistake made by the Government against the freedom of expression.”
Yesterday, FA 18, fighter’s-aircraft belonging to the US Navy, crashed off the coast of Minami-Daito Island. Here it happened again ! Two crew members of the aircraft used the parachutes and were safe. It is the 50th crash accident counted after Okinawa’s reversion to Japan. The opposition parties demanded for the immediate stop of the flight of the aircraft. However, Mr. Iwaya, Director General of Defense Agency said, “The US military is investigating the cause of the accident, and the Government will wait for the result and decide what actions to take judging from the overall situation.” Is Japan a sovereign state?
(Protests in the Sea) Persisting Protest by the Canoes and Boats – Two boats and nine canoes with 15 people on board continued the protests today. Due to the persisting protest, the sea around Henoko is not completely closed yet. Today’s canoe-capturing was done only once. Even if they were captured and brought back to the shore repeatedly and daily, the unvending will of the members show no sign of giving up and row the canoe persistently out on the off-shore again.
