(Photo of the ocean of Henoko by Shimoji Yoshio) New York Times printed Yoshio Shimoji's letter to protest the U.S. and Japanese Governments' decision to go back to the 2006 agreement to build a new base in Henoko. The letter was reported in the May 30 edition of Ryukyu Shimpo, which is pasted below.
The U.S. Air Base on Okinawa
Published: May 28, 2010
To the Editor:
“Japan Relents on U.S. Base on Okinawa, Reneging on a Campaign Promise” (news article, May 24) characterizes Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama’s announcement that the United States Marine Air Station Futenma would be moved to northern Okinawa — as originally agreed to — as “a victory for the Obama administration and a humiliating setback for Mr. Hatoyama.”
Obviously, in this squabbling, the Hatoyama administration succumbed to the Obama administration’s all-out pressure to stick to a 2006 bilateral agreement. Mr. Hatoyama had raised Okinawans’ expectations during the last election campaign by saying that Futenma’s functions must be moved away from Okinawa.
The Obama administration should remember, however, that its victory is self-defeating as well because it contradicts the principle of democracy that Washington advocates in dealing with “undemocratic” and “unenlightened” nations.
The overwhelming majority of Okinawans are opposed to any plan to keep the base on Okinawa, as Washington is fully aware. How dare Mr. Obama ask Mr. Hatoyama to act without regard to the wishes of his compatriots?
Yoshio Shimoji
Naha, Okinawa, May 24, 2010
“Japan Relents on U.S. Base on Okinawa, Reneging on a Campaign Promise” (news article, May 24) characterizes Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama’s announcement that the United States Marine Air Station Futenma would be moved to northern Okinawa — as originally agreed to — as “a victory for the Obama administration and a humiliating setback for Mr. Hatoyama.”
Obviously, in this squabbling, the Hatoyama administration succumbed to the Obama administration’s all-out pressure to stick to a 2006 bilateral agreement. Mr. Hatoyama had raised Okinawans’ expectations during the last election campaign by saying that Futenma’s functions must be moved away from Okinawa.
The Obama administration should remember, however, that its victory is self-defeating as well because it contradicts the principle of democracy that Washington advocates in dealing with “undemocratic” and “unenlightened” nations.
The overwhelming majority of Okinawans are opposed to any plan to keep the base on Okinawa, as Washington is fully aware. How dare Mr. Obama ask Mr. Hatoyama to act without regard to the wishes of his compatriots?
Yoshio Shimoji
Naha, Okinawa, May 24, 2010
タイムズ紙に反論投稿
下地琉大名誉教授
2010年5月30日
http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-162832-storytopic-3.html
【米ワシントン２９日＝与那嶺路代本紙特派員】米軍普天間飛行場が辺野古移設となったことを「オバマ政権の勝利」と書いた米ニューヨーク・タイムズ紙に対し、下地良男琉球大名誉教授は「米国の民主主義の原則に反した勝利は自滅的だ」との反論を投書した。同紙の２８日付読者欄に掲載された。
下地氏は編集者あてに「確かに、２００６年合意にこだわるオバマ政権の圧力に、鳩山政権は負けた。だがオバマ政権は、その勝利が自滅的であることに気付くべきだ。非民主主義の国々に対してワシントンが主張する民主主義の原則に、矛盾している」と指摘。「大多数の沖縄県民は沖縄に基地を置くことに反対している。よくもオバマ氏は、同胞である鳩山氏の意思を無視することができますね」と痛烈に批判した。下地氏は名護市辺野古の海を写真に収め、写真集を出版するなどして、県内移設に反対している。
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