On the morning of January 6, when government offices start work, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki delivered a New Year’s greeting broadcast from the governor’s reception office in the Prefectural Office.
In a message to government workers, he said, “I want department heads to act centrally in carrying out our duties as public servants to all prefectural citizens, in order to realize a society in which no one is left behind”.
Governor Tamaki spoke about the U.S. base issues, saying, “Ongoing incidents due to U.S. soldiers and civilians in military employ, as well as accidents and noise issues caused by the bases are a never-ending state of affairs.
From here on, I will strongly demand that the central government abandon construction of the new base in Henoko and remove dangers as soon as possible, such as by the quick closure and return Futenma Air Station and the stopping of operations, and I will do my utmost to drastically revise the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement and to resolve the many problems that stem from the bases”.
(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)
