This is the abridged text of a speech by Shumei Ikehara, the general secretary of the Antiwar Landowners Association of Okinawa, at a May 25 public meeting in Tokyo.
The Japanese government's plan to expropriate our land is facing many problems. In mid-April we succeeded in organising big rallies which attracted thousands of people.
Before these big rallies took place, we were afraid that they would not succeed. But our fears were groundless. People in mainland Japan gave us a lot of support and solidarity. It showed that we need to abandon small differences and unite around the major issues.
After the rape of the schoolgirl, those people who initially accepted the presence of the US bases began to see that these bases are not necessary for the Okinawan people. Even the more conservative-minded people started to see the need to dismantle the bases. So all the people in Okinawa came together with one voice. We are fed up with the US bases, they said. We don't want US bases here any more.
Before the rape, the struggle of the antiwar landowners was isolated even in Okinawa. But today it has become the struggle of all the Okinawan people. The Okinawan prefectural administration supported us. The governor of Okinawa refused to sign the documents needed to expropriate our land.
Five years ago the governor cooperated with the central government and signed. But this time, because of our constant struggle, the governor's position has changed.
But even after getting a court ruling in its favour, the central government lost its legal rights to at least one plot of land in the village where the US telecommunications facilities are located. The lease for this tiny plot expired on March 31. Then the government asked the land leasing commission to extend the lease. But the commission in Okinawa rejected the demand. This was another victory for us, and the landowner, along with his family and supporters, entered the area. This event exposed the fact that the government is illegally using the land for the US military.
After the expiry of the lease on March 31, the landowner demanded that the government allow him to enter the facility. The government then filed another lawsuit to prevent him from entering. The court ruled that the landowner be allowed to enter only twice and limited the number of people who could enter with him. But finally, on May 14, the landowner, his family and supporters entered the facility.
The government is also facing a much bigger problem. More than 3000 landowners are refusing to lease their land to the US military. Their leases expire in May 1997. The government has asked the prefectural land commission to extend the leases beyond May 1997. But the land commission is very reluctant to do this. So the leases of more than 3000 landowners are very likely to expire next year.
These 3000 landowners are located in nine cities and towns. Eight of the mayors in these cities and towns have announced their refusal to cooperate with the central government.
Facing these obstacles, the government is now starting to consider further new legislation. This new legislation will allow the central government to directly lease the land without the cooperation of the prefectures.
If the central government makes such a law, according to the constitution, it needs to have a prefectural referendum. So this new legislation proposed by the government undermines the constitution.
Our struggle has succeeded in exposing the intentions of the Japanese government to use the land, illegally if necessary, for the purpose of supporting the Security Treaty. The government now wants to transfer the functions of the bases to other places in Japan. But the residents of the cities where it wants to transfer the facilities are protesting. So the plans to transfer the military functions of the bases in Okinawa will also face the people's struggles.
This struggle is also a struggle to stop the revision of the peace constitution. The Japanese government is trying to amend Article 9 of the constitution [that it will not be involved militarily in international conflicts]. This revision of the constitution is another major issue for the Japanese people. The struggle of the landowners is connected with the struggle to stop the revision of the constitution and is also linked to the struggles of the Asian people demanding a nuclear-free and a military-free Asia.