Hawaii Giant Telescope Project Volunteers submit a review petition to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Oct. 15:15
On the 28th, Japanese volunteers raised a strong opposition from local indigenous people about the world's largest telescope that five countries including Japan and the United States are planning to build on the island of Hawaii. The making group visited the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and submitted a petition requesting a review of the plan.
This telescope is planned to be built by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and universities in four countries such as the United States on the summit of Mount Mauna Kea on Hawaii Island, USA, but it is strong as a sacred place from indigenous residents. Opposition has been raised and the plan is currently suspended.
On this day, a group made up of Japanese people living in Hawaii visited the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on the 28th, and handed over a petition with signatures collected from 8544 people, mainly Japanese.
The petition requests that the construction site of the new telescope be reconsidered because the Hawaiian island already has a Japanese "Subaru Telescope" and the local criticism is strong.
On that basis, Japan was scheduled to contribute 37.5 billion yen, which is one-fourth of the total budget.
A member of the group complained, “It has become a big problem among local residents. Japanese taxes are sometimes used, so the plan should be revised.”
The person in charge of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology said, “I think it is a big problem. The people concerned are discussing the response, but I would like them to talk carefully with the residents.”