| Postwar Okinawa / Keywords in Postwar Okinawa | 4/4 |
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The CTS Facilities The CTS oil storage facility was brought to Okinawa in hopes of promoting industry and expanding employment. The effects on employment were slight and the accidental discharge of crude oil caused environmental pollution. Massive protests criticized its construction. Junji Nishime The conservative administration of Governor Nishime lasted from 1978 to 1990. The characteristics of his administration were a retreat from U.S. military base policies and an emphasis on regional development and international exchange. The Nishime administration's policies resulted in the gradual economic growth for Okinawa Prefecture, but were heavily dependent on public financing and the industrial structure inclined, in the extreme, toward tertiary industries without developing a self-sustaining economy capable of vitalizing the region. The Cornerstone of Peace As a memorial project for the 50th anniversary of the ending of the Battle of Okinawa, the Cornerstone of Peace was erected in the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman City. The memorial walls are inscribed with the names of all combatants and civilians, without regard to nationality, that died in the Battle of Okinawa. Sexual Assault Incident on a Young Okinawan Girl In September of 1995 a rape incident involving a sexual assault on a young girl by three U.S. military personnel occurred. When requested to turn over the suspects to the prefectural police, the U.S. military refused immediate turnover of the suspects based on the Status of Forces Agreement between Japan the United States. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also indicated reluctance and there were demands from Okinawa Prefecture and the Okinawa Prefectural Legislature for a re-evaluation of the Status of Forces Agreement, but both the Japanese government and the Foreign Ministry declined. This ignited long unresolved problems surrounding the U.S. bases on Okinawa and led to the massive protest rally in 1995. Proxy Signature Judgment When the leases of landowners of property on U.S. bases expired, some refused to renew the lease agreements as an anti-war protest. When this happens, the mayor of the municipality or governor can sign the lease as proxy. However Governor Ota refused to sign the leases as proxy and the Prime Minister filed a lawsuit to enforce execution of the proxy order by the governor. The case was tried in the Supreme Court with the prefectural side losing the appeal of the case. Prefectural Citizen's Referendum Japan's first citizen's referendum was held on the issue of "Consolidation and Reduction of the U.S. military bases on Okinawa and a revision of the Status of Forces Agreement." The voting rate did not exceed the expected 60% of the voting public but an overwhelming majority supported the calls for reducing the bases and revision of the SOFA agreement. SACO (The Japan-U.S. Special Action Committee on Okinawa) This is a special committee set up concerning facilities and districts in Okinawa in order to discuss base cutbacks and consolidation. It was established in November of 1995 with a one-year mandate from the Japan-U.S. Security Commission. Okinawa Prefectural Citizen's General Protest This was a large general protest rally held on October 21, 1995 to denounce the sexual assault of a young girl by U.S. military personnel and to demand revision of the Status of Forces Agreement. It is said over 85,000 prefectural citizens participated and was the largest protest rally in post reversion Okinawa. |
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