(In Front of the Gate)
The 42nd Peace March to go around the bases started in front of the Gate of Camp Schwab. In response to the invitation from the organizer of the March, Peace Okinawa Center, approximately 420 people came to join the March. In the opening speech, Mr. Yamashiro Hiroji Chairperson spoke.
“We will not permit the way the Administration leads us towards a war. Let us walk firmly for 2 days to appeal for peace and to protect our life.”
The March line extended for 1 kilometers long, and many people waved to us. We marched 17 kilometers in 7 hours to reach Camp Hansen, an American military base.
Expecting that many people would attend the March, the Defense Bureau did not make any delivery today.
Approximately 400 people joined the March to visit the battle fields, which covered 19 kilometers from the Okinawa Prefectural Government Office Building to Himeyuri Tower in Itoman City. Ms. Higa Kyouko, the vice-chirperson of Peace Okinawa Center appealed.
“Southern part of Okinawa was the severe battle field. Many victims are still in the ground. No war brings peace.”
(On the Sea in Oura Bay)
Due to a bad weather, rallying on the sea was cancelled. A boat was out for monitoring the status of construction work that were going on all day long; construction of K8 seawall and depositing earth and sand into the sea.
(In Front of Ryukyu Cement Pier in Awa)
About 10 people continued rallying, but 725 truckloads, the largest number of deliveries in the past was made to the Pier.
(Other)
The laws to regulate drone operation was passed after 3 hours of discussion by overwhelming approval by the ruling party. In addition to the areas already prohibited for flying drones, flying over the facilities of Japan Self-Defense force and the US military bases were newly prohibited. In Okinawa where many US abases are situated, a large area is prohibited to take pictures from drones. It specifies that the permission by the US force must be obtained to fly over the US bases. That means, no bird’s eye picture of a US base.
The issues of the new base construction in Henoko and the accident of US military helicopters were clearly pointed out by the pictures taken by drones. But no more. The law becomes effective from June 12th this year.
