It has been 49 years since Okinawa returned to the mainland in 15 days.
The burden on the US military base in Okinawa is still heavy, and citizen groups and others held a rally in front of the US military headquarters in Okinawa and appealed for the removal of the base.
The rally was held by citizen groups and trade unions in front of Camp Zukeran, where the US military headquarters in Okinawa is located.
Citizens' groups and others hold a "peace march" every year to walk around the prefecture on May 15 when Okinawa returns to the mainland, but it was canceled due to the influence of the new corona, and about 40 people participated in the rally. did.
At the rally, Hiroji Yamashiro, chairman of the executive committee, said, "It has been 49 years since the return, but peace without a base has not been realized in Okinawa, and on the contrary, the base has been strengthened." And so on.
Even now, 70% of USFJ facilities nationwide are concentrated in Okinawa, and there is no end to the damage caused by the base, such as the noise of military aircraft, low-flying flights, and incidents caused by soldiers.
In addition, there are cases where the base is relocated to the prefecture as a condition for return, and reclamation work is steadily proceeding amid opposition from the citizens of the prefecture off the coast of Henoko, Nago City, where the Futenma base is relocated.
Governor Tamaki of Okinawa Prefecture has a policy of requesting the Japanese and US governments to reduce the ratio of facilities dedicated to the US military in Okinawa to 50% or less in the nation toward the 50th anniversary of the return next year.