名護市稲嶺市長から仲井真知事の埋め立て承認への抗議文 （英訳付） A letter of protest from Mayor of Nago to Governor of Okinawa

（１２月２９日英訳を追加掲載）

Mayor Inamine 

新基地は「海にも陸にも作らせない」との一貫した姿勢を貫く名護市の稲嶺進市長から仲井真知事への抗議文を紹介する。画面で読みにくいかもしれないのでテキストを下方に貼付。 Here is a letter of protest from INAMINE Susumu, Mayor of Nago City to NAKAIMA Hirokazu, Govenor of Okinawa, against Nakaima's approval of the government's request to reclaim Henoko, where the US and Japanese governments are planning to build a new air base with a military port, as a replacement facility of Futenma Air Station (See report from Asahi). See below for an English translation. 

平成 25 年 12 月 27 日 

                                                  　　　　名広渉第号 

沖縄県知事  仲井眞  弘多  殿 

名護市長　稲嶺　進

        普天間飛行場代替施設建設に係る公有水面埋立の沖縄県知事による承認について（抗議） 

　本日沖縄県知事が普天間飛行場代替施設建設事業に係る名護市辺野古公有水面埋立を「承認」したことについて、これまでオール沖縄の先頭に立ち県外移設を訴えてきた知事が豹変したかの如く承認に転じた姿は、知事の強い言葉を信じてきた沖縄県民を三たび失意のどん底に突き落とすことになった。 

　安倍首相との会談の中での「140 万人の沖縄県民を代表して感謝申し上げる」や「いい正月を迎えられる」という発言など、あまりに軽率であり、知事に強い期待を抱いていた県民に対する背信行為と言わざるを得ない。 

　本埋立承認願書は、環境影響評価の手続きの段階からオスプレイ配備等重要事項の後だし、ジュゴンの複数年調査の不実施をはじめ、名護市長意見でも記したとおり、多数の不備が指摘されてきた。にもかかわらず「法律に適合する」と判断した行為は、もはや法治国家の体をなさず、国際社会における我が国の威信にかかわる問題であり、断じて許されるものではない。 

　そもそも地元名護市が代替施設の建設を容認していない中、政府による強行に県知事が与みするという形で承認された計画は、市民の生命財産をあずかる立場から到底受け入れられるものではない。名護市長として、一人の政治家として市民との約束を貫いていくとともに、今回の承認に対し、市民の代表として強く抗議する。 

December 27, 2013

To Nakaima Hirokazu, Governor of Okinawa Prefecture

From Inamine Susumu, Mayor of Nago City  

Letter of protest against the Governor of Okinawa's approval of the reclamation of a body of public water for the construction of a replacement facility of Futenma Air Station 

Today, the Governor of Okinawa approved the request for reclamation of a body of public water at Henoko, Nago City, for the construction of a replacement facility of Futenma Air Station. The Governor, who had been spearheading the "All-Okinawa" movement for moving the base outside of Okinawa, suddenly changed his position and approved reclamation. The Governor's turnabout again pushed Okinawan people, who had believed his strong word, down to the abyss of disappointment.

In the Governor's meeting with Prime Minister Abe, his words like "I am grateful, on behalf of 1.4 million Okinawan people," and "Now I can look forward to a good New Year holiday" were too inconsiderate. It amounted to an utter breach of trust against the people of the prefecture, who had strong expectations of the Governor.

It has been pointed out that the process that led to the reclamation request, which was the Environmental Impact Assessment, has had many flaws as I noted them in the Nago Mayor's Opinion Statement. The flaws included the addition of the planned deployment of MV-22 Osprey in a later stage of the Assessment, and the lack of multi-year survey of the dugong in the area. The fact that Governor regarded the reclamation application as "legally compatible" despite these flaws means that Japan is no longer a nation ruled by law. It raises a problem about the dignity of our nation in the international community, and therefore it is absolutely unforgivable.

The reclamation plan was approved in the manner that the Governor of Okinawa sided with the government that tries to force the construction of the replacement facility, even though Nago City, where the construction is planned to take place, does not approve it. It is absolutely unacceptable, from my position where I am responsible for the lives and assets of people of Nago. I stand firmly by my promise with the citizens, as Mayor of Nago, and as one politician, and at the same time, I, as a representative of citizens, strongly protest the reclamation approval by the Governor.

(Translated by Satoko Oka Norimatsu and Gavan McCormack)

Related article: 

“Unacceptable and Unendurable:” Local Okinawa Mayor Says NO to US Marine Base Plan