}After the summit meeting of the Group of
Eight major powers ended last June in Cologne,
Germany, Okinawa prefecture was gering up
for its role as host to next G-8 summit meeting
held July 21-23 in the city of Nago. Construction
work on an international conference hall
is under way at Cape Busena in Nago, 50 kilometers
northeast of Naha, where prefectural government
situats. The main conference hall stands
on a 25,000-square-meter plot of land. The
hall, on the tip ot the cape, will have 3,000
square meters of floor area and traditional
red roof tiles.
The lush cape is covered by tropical plants
such as cycads and grass tobiras and extends
between beautiful coral reefs out into an
azure ocean from which gentle waves break
onto the shore. Situated on the cape are
luxurious resort hotels that will accomodate
the G-8 leaders. The scenic views from the
hotels are said to be amonog the best in
the prefecture.
Besides that problems such as how to offer
a suitable degree of protection for VIPs,
and transportation and telecommunications
difficulties, continue to pile up, the process
of preparing for the summit has been destroying
tropical environment such as coral reefs,
foods for dugongs.
In Nago, some residents have a spirit of
welcome, hanging screens read "Bring
the heart of Yanbaru (the northern part of
Okinawa prefecture) to the world," whille
the others, in particular, those who oppose
a plan to relocate the U.S. Futenma Air Base
to the east coast of Nago, are really anxious
about the G-8 summmit.
In fact, although amid the hopes of a boost
for Okinawa's economy from the summit, on
Nago's main street, many shops could be seen
with their shutters down as the Nago residents
lamented the ongoing effects of the recession
on Nago, Okinawa, saying "This is known
as a 'shutter street.'" Even a sales
exective at a high-class resort hotel in
the city said, "There will be no positive
effect on the local economy." In spite
of that July is the peak of the tourist season,
accomodation in the prefecture will be taken
up by police and media, leaving ordinary
tourists nowhere to stay. The exective also
said, "Not only in the period of the
summit meeting, but also before and after,
we cannot expect to lure tourists. It is
difficult to bring back toursits once they
have gone away."
Now that local residents oppose to the plan
to relocate the U.S. Futenma Air Station
to the Henoko district on or off the Nago
esat coast bagan a campaign to oust Tateo
Kishimoto, Nago Mayor, who accepted of the
plan last December, it is the first time
that the opponent of the base's relocation
has brought the G-8 summit into the dispute.
This action against constructing a huge heliport
is sure to have an adverse effect on the
Nago, Okinawa summit. Okinawa, ruled by the
United States from the end of World War II
until 1972, accounts for only 0.6 % of Japan's
total land area, but about 75 % of the land
occupied by U.S. military facilities in Japan
is in the prefecture.
Summit organizers are concerned about typhoon
season, food poisoning, antidotes for the
venom of the habu snake present in Okinawa,
etc. But the biggest concern for them is
the anti-base movements in Nago, Okinawa.
To protect imperialist leaders and its summit
meeting, about 20,000 police officers, which
represents nealy 10 % of the national police
force and exceeds the number ot Osaka prefectural
police, will be dispatched to Okinawa and
two other prefectures hosting conference
events - Fukuoka and Miyazaki prefecture.
About 16,000 officers will be stationed in
Okinawa prefecture, tha main venue of the
summit program. For its part, Okinawa police
is strenthening its ability to guard the
coastline by reinforcing its fleet of 15
coastal patrol boats with police boats from
other prefecture, renting jet skis from local
businesses and assembling squads of drivers.
The Maritime Safty Agency also plans to deploy
up to 150 patrol boats and 20 aircraft to
guard the 650-kilometer coastline. Furthermore,
U.S. military forces stationed in Okinawa
have been holding antiterrorist drills to
improve their readiness to protect military
bases and facilities from possible attacks.
Imperialist nations and their leaders, who
are most responsible for exploiting poor
majorities as well as workres all over the
world, destroying environments for all lives,
triggering aggressive dirty wars, are going
to gather at Nago, Okinawa this July. This
G-8 summit is to oppress the hope of anti-base
movements in Nago, Okinawa.
Japan and the United States plan to discuss
the issue of U.S. military bases in Okinawa
prefecture during July's summit of the Group
of Eight major nations there. Though it is
not likely for the two nations to raise issue
concerning the Japan-U.S. security treaty
at the G-8 summit, these issues will be thoroughly
discussed during the Japan-U.S. summit.
Now, Japanese government and its Defence
Agency will establish special commando units
to deal with "low-intensity conflicts"
in the next mid-range defence buildup program
for fiscal 2001 to 2005. Wars are generally
classified into three types: High-intensity
conflicts (nuclear wars), medium-intensity
conflicts (wars with conventional weapons)
and low-intensity conflicts (guerrilla war).
The agency now revamp its strategies and
troop organization to handle the low-intensity
conflicts. Under the next five-year defence
buildup program, the agency wants to organize
quick-response counterguerrilla units that
are better equipped, and send Self-Defence
Forces members to train with other nations'
special task forces, such as the United States'
Delta Force. In addition, the agency plans
to study the angiguerrilla equipment and
operations of U.S. troops. According to the
Ground Self-Defence Force's Ground Staff
Office, the units will be composed of three
companies of about 500 members. Their job
will be to defenc from guerrilla attack such
key facilities as U.S. bases in Japan, SDF
bases, nuclear power stations, airports,
ports and the prime minister's residence.
Furthermore, they will be trained to carry
out search-and-destroy missions on guerrilla
bases inside the country.
* Come to Nago, Okinawa form all over the
world! Against G-8 summit, now, Nago, Okinawa
residents are preparing for counter summits.
* On July 20, let's hold anti-G-8 summit
rallies all over the world!
* May the J20 movements spread in syberspace!
* Send your message to No to Base! Ten Thousand Voice Movement!
* Plese circulate the hope of Nago, Okinawa
residents among cyberworld!
[P.P. February 6, 2000]