2005/03/03 Greenpeace calls on Okinawa Governor to Cancel US Airbase Construction

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Greenpeace Press Release March 3, 2005

Greenpeace calls on Okinawa Governor to Cancel US Airbase Construction

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Meeting with the officers in Okinawa prefectural government © Greenpeace

Greenpeace visited Okinawa prefectural government office today to deliver a letter addressed to governor Inamine asking him to cancel the proposed US military airbase construction and, instead, establish a marine reserve to protect endangered species such as dugongs (see attached document).

Greenpeace Japan's campaign director Junichi Sato, Greenpeace International's ocean campaigner Karli Thomas and six other members submitted the petition to Choichi Yakabe, Director General of Cultural and Environmental Affairs. Mr. Yakabe, while applauding the environmental work of Greenpeace by saying "I appreciate Greenpeace's sincere environmental work, Okinawa has designated Japan's south-western island region as the primary protection area for environmental conservation," he was more defensive when he repeatedly stated, "we are waiting for the operator's environmental assessment report." His statement revealed that the prefecture has not taken any substantive conservation measures.

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Junichi SATO, campaign director, Greenpeace Japan © Greenpeace

Karli Thomas responded to Mr. Yakabe's statement, "The environmental assessment should be quite simple. The fact that there is a population of endangered dugongs in the area is sufficient reason to cancel the construction of the base." Junichi Sato added, "Waiting for the assessment report in an area where damage to the environment is inevitable is nothing but a pigeonholing of a decision; prefecture should implement the precautionary principle instead." To this Mr. Yakabe responded, "I will respect your valuable opinion."

Members of Greenpeace were accompanied today by Okinawa Environmental Network's Koichi Makishi, Peace Citizens' Liaison's Morihide Sakihara along with two other local community group members.

Greenpeace is hosting an open boat event on March 5, giving local residents an opportunity to see the inside of its campaign ship the Rainbow Warrior which is currently in Naha Port. The ship is scheduled to head for the waters off Henoko on March 6th.

For more information on Greenpeace's activity in Okinawa, visit the website below:
http://greenpeace.or.jp/dugong/
and contact:
Junichi Sato, Greenpeace Japan campaign director
Karli Thomas, Greenpeace International, Ocean campaigner
Keiko Shirokawa, media officer

Letter to Governor

March 3, 2005

Dear Governor Keichi Inamine

Greenpeace is an environmental organization with branches in 38 countries, and more than 2.9 million supporters worldwide. Greenpeace is working to solve environmental problems in climate, forests, and oceans. Greenpeace is committed to defending the health of the world's oceans and the animals, plants and peoples that depend upon them.

The Japanese Government has proposed the construction of an airbase for the US military in the sea off Henoko, Okinawa. The marine area of Henoko contains important coral reef and seagrass ecosystems, and supports Japan's last remaining population of dugongs. The construction of an airbase across the reef would damage or destroy large areas of habitat, and could cause the extinction of dugongs from Japan.

Greenpeace calls on you to urge the government of Japan and the U.S. to stop this construction before valuable marine ecosystems are destroyed for ever.

Greenpeace has been working with local groups that oppose the construction of this airbase. Their concerns include the loss of dugong from the area and the destruction of biodiversity. A survey conducted by Okinawa Times in September, 2004 found that more than eighty percent of Okinawa people surveyed opposed the airbase relocation to Henoko from Futenma airbase..

The Japanese Society of Mammalogists has classified Japanese dugongs as "Critically Endangered" and the Japanese Fisheries Agency and the Agency for Cultural Affairs recognize the dugong as a species that needs special protection. Numerous international organizations including the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Conservation Union and the World Wide Fund for Nature have recommended the protection of the marine environment of Henoko.

The construction of an airbase at Henoko would be extremely environmentally destructive. It is opposed by local community groups, and would be detrimental to fisheries in the area. It is against the recommendations of numerous scientific reports by Japanese and international organizations concerning the protection of dugong and the marine environment.

The Prefectural Government of Okinawa has the opportunity to halt the construction of this airbase, and provide protection for the endangered dugong. A marine reserve in this area would provide permanent protection for the marine environment, including the dugong and other endangered species. Marine reserves have been proven to increase the number, size and diversity of fish within the reserve, and can increase the productivity of fisheries outside the reserve.

Greenpeace calls on you to establish a marine reserve, not an airbase, in the waters of Henoko.

We trust that you will take the opportunity of your visit to Washington to consider the wishes of Greenpeace, the local people of Okinawa, and other scientific and environmental organizations. Please, stop the airbase and protect the dugong with a marine reserve.

Yours sincerely

Junichi Sato
Campaign Director, Greenpeace Japan

Karli Thomas
Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace International