Hundreds of demonstrators have rallied outside a key United States Marine Corps facility in Japan's Okinawa prefecture, voicing fierce opposition to the construction of a new American military base. The protesters, filled with a deep-seated fear of history repeating itself, warned that their island home risks being transformed into a battlefield once more.
"We Don't Want Another Battlefield": The Heart of the Protest
The gathering took place at the gates of Camp Schwab in Nago city, organised by a coalition known as the "All Okinawa Conference to Prevent the Construction of a New Base at Henoko." Participants held signs with powerful messages like "We don't let Okinawa become a battlefield again" and demands to "Close all bases." The emotional core of the protest stems from Okinawa's tragic history as the site of a devastating ground battle in World War II, a memory that remains raw for many residents.
Kumiko Onaga, a member of the Nago City Council, highlighted the intergenerational burden, stating that children are being forced to inherit the negative legacy of these foreign military installations. The overarching fear, echoed by many, is that an expanding U.S. military footprint does not guarantee security but instead "invites the risk of future war," making the island a potential target in any regional conflict.
A Legacy of Crime and Trauma Fuels the Anger
Beyond strategic fears, the protest is fueled by decades of resentment over criminal acts allegedly committed by U.S. military personnel stationed on the island. The community's anger is rooted in a long and painful history of incidents, particularly violent and sexual crimes.
Official statistics reveal a staggering scale: between 1972 and 2023, Japanese authorities filed over 6,200 criminal cases against U.S. military personnel. Of these, nearly 600 were classified as heinous violent crimes. The collective outrage reached a boiling point in 1995 following the horrific abduction and rape of a 12-year-old Okinawan schoolgirl by three American servicemen, an event that triggered massive island-wide protests.
Overwhelming Local Opposition Meets Persistent Presence
Despite persistent and widespread local objection, the U.S. military maintains a significant force in Okinawa. Today, approximately 30,000 U.S. troops are still stationed across the prefecture, which hosts the bulk of America's military facilities in Japan. This presence stands in direct contradiction to the clearly expressed will of the Okinawan people.
A public poll conducted in 2023 found that a overwhelming 70% of Okinawans oppose the U.S. bases. This disconnect between local sentiment and national security policy, set by the governments in Tokyo and Washington, continues to be a major source of tension and regular protests. The current demonstration against the new base at Henoko is the latest chapter in this ongoing struggle, where residents assert their right to peace and safety over hosting foreign military might.
