Anti-War activists raise alarm over rising militarisation in Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands

Anti-war and anti-base groups from Okinawa held a seminar in Tokyo to oppose Japan’s growing military build-up. Leaders and citizens warned that Okinawa and nearby islands risk becoming frontlines in a conflict, urging the government to prevent further militarisation and protect civilians

Tokyo: Anti-base and anti-war groups from across Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture have held a seminar in Tokyo, expressing concerns and doubts about the government’s military expansion in Okinawa and the southwestern islands.

More than 230 people attended the event on Friday, including members of the Japanese parliament and the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly and representatives of citizens from various parts of Okinawa, voicing their strong dissatisfaction and deep concern regarding the security environment in Okinawa and the entire Ryukyu Islands to the Japanese government.

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Mizuho Fukushima, leader of Japan’s Social Democratic Party, said that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s view of a “Taiwan contingency” as a “survival-threatening situation” is completely illogical, reports Xinhua news agency.

Currently, not only Okinawa, but Kyushu, western Japan, and indeed the whole of Japan, are facing the trend of becoming military strongholds. Japanese society must, under any circumstances, prevent war and stop this dangerous policy.

Former mayor of Ginowan City, Okinawa, and House of Councillors member Yoichi Iha criticised the Japanese government for inciting a “critical situation,” increasing dependence on US military bases, and accelerating military expansion.

Yukako Sonan, a representative of a citizens’ group from Miyako Island in Okinawa, told Xinhua that civilian facilities and the military facilities of the Japanese Self-Defence Forces are often closely adjacent on small islands, making it difficult to clearly distinguish them. In the event of a conflict, ordinary people would inevitably be affected.

Participants noted that the southwestern islands and other areas are at risk of being drawn into the frontlines of war, and that it is imperative to prevent the regional security situation from deteriorating further.