Eliminating the danger of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in the city of Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, is the starting point to deal with the issue of U.S. bases in the prefecture. Holding a prefectural referendum lacks consideration for long years of effort to resolve the issue. It will only deepen confrontation and turmoil.
Campaigning has begun officially for the prefectural referendum on whether to go ahead with reclamation work in the coastal area of Henoko in the city of Nago for the relocation of the base. Voting is set for Feb. 24.
The Futenma base is surrounded by residential areas, exposing residents to the danger of an accident. Noise damage around the base is serious, too.
Giving consideration to residents' lives while maintaining deterrence amid a serious security environment: The relocation to Henoko, which was decided through negotiations between the Japanese and U.S. governments based on this standpoint, is the only feasible option.
In the prefectural referendum, residents will be asked to select one of three options -- "yes," "no" or "neither" -- on whether to continue landfill work.
A relevant ordinance states that if votes for the most popular option account for at least 25 percent of all eligible voters, the governor will be required to respect the outcome and convey it to the prime minister and the U.S. president. But the referendum outcome has no legally binding power.
A local referendum is supposed to be called for regional voters to vote on specific local issues, including mergers of cities, towns and villages.
National security policy should be carried out responsibly by the central government, taking into account international affairs and diplomatic relations to protect the people's lives and assets and the nation's territory. It is not a topic to be voted on in a local referendum.
Don't spoil past efforts
The political forces that took the lead in enacting the referendum-related ordinance are suspected to have the ulterior motive of solidifying unity among elements opposing the Futenma relocation ahead of a House of Representatives by-election in April in the No. 3 constituency of Okinawa Prefecture and a House of Councillors election set for this summer.
As criticism mounted on a voting formula for choosing between two options, the third option of "neither" was added as a stopgap measure. This would not resolve the essential part of the issue at all.
The most important thing is to prevent the Futenma base from remaining permanently in its current location.
In the aftermath of a 1995 incident in which a girl was raped by three U.S. servicemen, then Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and then Okinawa Gov. Masahide Ota held consultative talks and agreed to proceed with a plan to realize the return of the land used by the Futenma base and promote the development of Okinawa Prefecture. This was the starting point to resolve the Futenma base issue.
The central and Okinawa prefectural governments, while respecting each other's standpoints, had worked together on the relocation plan. These efforts should not be allowed to go down the drain.
Gov. Denny Tamaki has called for eliminating the danger of the Futenma base but has not presented any realistic proposal to replace the relocation to Henoko. Isn't he irresponsible as the governor tasked with prefectural governance? He should coordinate wide-ranging views of prefectural residents and work toward reducing the prefecture's burden of having to host U.S. bases together with the central government.
Without being swayed by referendum results, the central government needs to go ahead with reclamation and bank protection work in a businesslike manner while weighing safety aspects. It is also essential for the central government to hold dialogue repeatedly with the prefectural government by taking advantage of various occasions and seeking to obtain its understanding on the relocation issue.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 15, 2019)
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